The Belize football team’s bus was intercepted by a gang armed with rifles when the team arrived in Haiti on Monday, where it intends to play a match in the qualifying rounds of the 2022 Qatar World Cup.
Police officers escorting the team had to negotiate with the armed gang in order to continue their journey from the airport to the hotel, where they arrived safely, according to the Belize Football Federation in a statement.
“Despite being escorted by four police officers, the team’s bus was stopped by the insurgents’ revolt with motorcycle assault rifles, and the police escort had to negotiate with them for the team’s bus to continue its journey to the hotel,” he said. the statement.
The players, “although they are agitated by the ordeal, are safe in their hotel,” the statement said, which also included a statement from captain Deon McCauley, who said there were moments of “intense fear” during the assault.
The federation assured that it is in contact with FIFA and CONCACAF to “do everything possible” to take the players “to a safer place”.
The match is scheduled for next Thursday at the Sylvio Cator Stadium in Port-au-Prince and corresponds to the first day of Group E of the World Cup qualifiers, which also includes Nicaragua, Saint Lucia and the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Haiti is going through a strong wave of insecurity due to the action of numerous armed gangs, which are responsible for the kidnappings that take place daily in the metropolitan area of Port-au-Prince.