Senegal accuses Watford of blocking Sarren AFCON’s involvement | Football News

The Senegalese football federation says it will play FIFA if the Premier League club rejects the player in the African National Cup.

Senegalese football authorities have accused English club Watford of releasing Ismaila Sarr for this month’s African Cup of Nations and will demand FIFA’s intervention.

The country’s football federation said on Sunday that Watford had told him on Friday it would not release a high-level midfielder for the tournament, which is set to start next Sunday in Cameroon and Senegal.

“The English club Watford has announced a decision to block the player Ismaila Sarr based on false arguments, expressing his desire to enter the National Cup with the Senegalese national team,” said Victor Senegal, secretary general of the Football Federation. Seh Cisse.

“FSF [Senegal football governing body] he immediately responded to the player’s call and confirmed the club’s obligation to release the player before January 3. “

He added that Senegal would take up the matter with FIFA “if Watford continues to deliberately refuse to release the player”.

“The FSF would like to express its deep condemnation of Watford’s harmful, harmful and discriminatory behavior in any way that would prevent a player from playing with his national team.

“Africa, its football and its footballers deserve the same respect that other continents, confederations and players deserve. The FSF will take all necessary measures to ensure that the fundamental right of its players to play in their country is respected. “

???????????????????????????????????? Watford refuses to join Ismaïla Sarri Senegal in AFCON.

He often made it a point to negotiate an agreement with Senegal if he reached the quarter-finals.Official @FSF They complained that the decision was “reprehensible” and “discriminatory”. pic.twitter.com/VTPYrbGNVK

– African Insider (@African_Insider) January 2, 2022

The statement from the Senegalese football federation is exacerbating a dispute over whether or not English clubs have denied or delayed the departure of African players to take part in the tournament.

Former England international Ian Wright said he was outraged by some media coverage of the 24-team tournament, which he described as racist.

“We played our European Championship in 10 countries in the middle of a pandemic and there is no problem. But Cameroon, the only country that hosts a tournament, is a problem,” he said.

“There are players who are asked if they will consider the calls for their national teams. Imagine if he were an English player representing the Three Lions. Can you imagine the anger? ”

Wright’s opinion was shared by former French international Patrick Vieira and coach Crystal Palace, who called for greater respect for the tournament.

“I respect and understand the passion and importance of the players to represent their country, so I will never stop playing in the African Cup of Nations,” said Viera.

“I think this competition needs to be respected more, because this competition is just as important as the European Championship,” Vieira continued, calling on European journalists to take a greater interest in the competition.

Watford has not commented, but this is not their first match with an African football federation.

The Premier League outlet, which is at the bottom of the table, has already refused to allow Nigerian striker Emmanuel Dennis to join his country, saying the Nigerian Football Federation did not call in time to miss the deadline to notify the club. of his choice.

Nigeria did not oppose the claim and have since replaced Dennis in their squad.

Watford, who lost on Sunday in a stalemate against Tottenham Hotspur and approached the relegation zone, will lose three other players in the tournament: Nigerian William Troost Ekong and Moroccan pair Imran Louza and Adam Masina.