{UAH} Tunisia hit back after Zimbabwe rugby team sleep on streets before qualifier

Tunisia hit back after Zimbabwe rugby team sleep on streets before qualifier

• Players slept on pavement in Tunisia over hotel row 
• Tunisia accuse Zimbabwe's delegation of 'unethical actions'

Press Association

Wed 4 Jul 2018 17.32 BSTFirst published on Wed 4 Jul 2018 13.09 BST

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 Zimbabwe rugby coach Peter de Villiers with his players after their Rugby Africa match against Kenya last week. Photograph: Simon Maina/AFP/Getty Images

Tunisia rugby chiefs have accused Zimbabwe's delegation of "unethical actions" after players slept on streets prior to a World Cup qualifier.

Pictures posted on social media showed Zimbabwe players on the pavements in Tunisia prior to Saturday's match against their hosts in Beja.

The Zimbabwe party were left furious at what they felt was a poor standard of hotel accommodation, while also claiming they had experienced a six-hour airport delay over visa issues after arriving in Tunisia.

But the Tunisian Rugby Federation has hit back, stating: "The Tunisian Rugby Federation expresses its deep regret for this unfortunate event, and strongly deplores the anti-sports and unethical actions of the Zimbabwean delegation, which do not reflect the strong ties of friendship between the two countries."

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A strongly-worded statement addressed specifically the hotel and visa matters. "It is important to note that the delegation of Zimbabwe started complaining as soon as they arrived at Tunis Carthage airport," it read.

"Indeed, the team manager refused to pay the entry visa fees on Tunisian territories of 60 dinars per person (around £17) on the pretext that he did not have the amount requested, knowing the Tunisian Federation had previously notified Rugby Africa informing them on all these procedures that go beyond the prerogatives of the union.

"Nevertheless, the head of the delegation persisted in not paying these fees, which caused a long wait for the members of the delegation and a four-hour delay.

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