Did the Whitecaps eat something bad? GI bug hits team hard
A team-wide gastrointestinal issue following their trip to Mexico has prevented the Vancouver Whitecaps from training in full for the past two days.
According to the team, 'a significant number of Whitecaps FC players and staff reported gastrointestinal symptoms.'
The Whitecaps played in Mexico City on Sunday in the CONCACAF Champions Cup final, where they lost in crushing fashion 5-0 to Cruz Azul.
The team flew home on Monday and had a scheduled day off on Tuesday. They were set to return to training on Wednesday, but did not take the field and cancelled the session with late notice.
Thursday was meant to be another full training day, but the team held a 'modified individual close session for cleared players,' the team said in a statement.
'The health and well-being of our players and staff remain our top priority. Each player has been provided with an individualized program by the medical and performance staff to support their continued preparation and recovery. We are actively monitoring the situation and will provide updates as more information becomes available,' the team's statement went on.
Asked if there was any suggestion of foul play, a club spokesperson said. Whether it was a case of the team being served a bad meal or whether it was an illness contracted through other means is being investigated. As part of their preparation for Sunday's final, the team secured their own chet in hopes of avoiding any food-related issues.
The team is scheduled to face the Seattle Sounders on Sunday and no change to the schedule is anticipated.
pjohnston@postmedia.com
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