The Rivers United FC has accused the Tanzania government of holding four of its players hostage ahead of the September 19 second leg match between the Port Harcourt-based club and Young Africans of Tanzania.

The club’s media officer, Charles Mayuku, in a statement he issued in Port Harcourt on Friday, said the Tanzania government was holding back four of the club’s players and three of its officials, despite testing negative to COVID-19.

Mr Mayuku recalled how six members of the Rivers United were said to have tested positive to COVID-19, barely two hours to kick-off on September 12, in their CAF Champions League first leg preliminary round tie in Tanzania.

He said consequently, the players and officials, who were left behind in Tanzania, had undergone COVID-19 tests twice since September 13.

“But we have observed hesitancy in the release of the results by the Tanzanian health authorities when, on September 16, the team underwent rapid testing, and all were found to be negative.

“In a new twist, the Tanzanian health authorities that refused to allow the team leave the country insisted that the club members undergo RT-PCR test, of which the result has unnecessarily been delayed,” Mr Mayuku said.

Rivers United football club said Tanzania’s health authorities had shown so much insincerity in handling the process, accusing the country of plotting “to rule the team members out of the second leg which comes up on September 19 at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium in Port Harcourt.”