Argentina v Burkina Faso: organiser explains travel disruption before friendly

Jairo Pachon, the organiser of the friendly between Argentina and Burkina Faso, has outlined the difficulties that disrupted the Burkina Faso delegation’s journey to Buenos Aires.

In a statement issued hours before the match, the FIFA agent said the Federation burkinabe de football (FBF) and the Asociacion del Futbol Argentino (AFA) had fulfilled their contractual responsibilities.

Pachon also highlighted the efforts of the Burkinabe and Argentine authorities to ensure the Etalons were able to take part in the fixture despite the problems affecting their travel arrangements.

The first setback occurred on 30 September, when the Burkina Faso delegation was at Casablanca airport preparing to board a charter flight to Argentina.

The aircraft was found to have a technical fault, leading to the cancellation of the planned service. The operator subsequently cancelled both the flight and the contract, citing force majeure.

The disruption was compounded by the withdrawal of several players who had initially been called up for the trip. Fatigue accumulated during the period before the match was among the reasons given for their decision not to travel.

Discussions were held with the FBF and the Burkinabe authorities in an effort to resolve the issue, but some of the players maintained their decision to remain behind.

As a result, replacements were called up urgently from Burkina Faso. They travelled to Casablanca to join the rest of the squad before continuing the journey to Buenos Aires.

Pachon’s statement comes as preparations continue for the friendly between Argentina and Burkina Faso, with the organisers seeking to ensure the Etalons can participate following the disruption caused by the cancelled charter flight and changes to the squad.