Whitecaps Illness Spurs Poisoning Claims, Investigation

A large outbreak of gastrointestinal illness struck the Vancouver Whitecaps after their 5-0 loss to Cruz Azul in the CONCACAF Champions Cup final in Mexico City, affecting about half of the team's 75-person traveling party. Among those impacted were Canadian national team players Ali Ahmed, Sam Adekugbe, and Jayden Nelson, who arrived at Canada's training camp still unwell and remain questionable for national team friendlies. The Whitecaps canceled training sessions, provided individualized recovery plans, and sought medical advice as the illness disrupted preparations for both club and country. Sporting director Axel Schuster confirmed the extent of the outbreak, and coach Jesse Marsch raised the possibility of intentional 'poisoning,' citing a similar incident involving the Columbus Crew last year in Mexico. No concrete evidence of deliberate foul play has been found, but the repeated nature of such outbreaks has increased calls for CONCACAF to protect visiting teams. Investigations into the cause of the outbreak are ongoing.