Ivory Coast players are unhappy with their hotel facilities
The issue of bad hotel facilities is threatening to overshadow the start of the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations with several teams complaining.
Ivory Coast, Zambia and Burkina Faso have all lashed out at the tournament organisers for the accommodation provided.
But Caf, the continent’s governing body, has strongly defended its position insisting decent accommodation has been given to the countries.
Zambia have already changed their hotel while Ivory Coast are considering a similar action because of the ‘sub-standard’ facilities.
The Chipolopolo and the other sides in the competition say their preparation for the tournament has been disrupted because of the accommodation problems.
“The first hotel we got was not of the standing of the Africa Cup of Nations,” Zambia coach Herve Renard said.
“I think people need to have respect for the Zambian national team. It’s not our first qualification,” he told the BBC.
“If you look at the background of Zambia, we are all the time qualifying, except maybe one time in 2004.
“Maybe we are not the best, maybe we are not a team with a big name, but we deserve respect.”
Ivorian officials say they have asked officials to change their hotel while Burkina Faso boss Paolo Duarte says they are being discriminated against.
“When we arrived here, they gave us a restaurant/cafe to sleep in. It wasn’t even a hotel,” he said.
“There was no video room, no conference room. Each time we have to improvise. That’s what the Nations Cup is like.”
Duarte also complained that his team’s main group rivals – Ivory Coast and Angola – receive preferential treatment.
“They are protected. Everyone here is not working in the same conditions,” he said.