Ghana's Heart of Oak has lodged a complaint with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) protesting that its players were molested before their defeat by Etoile soccer club of Congo last month in Brazzaville in the Club Champions league.

Radio Congo reported on Sunday that Hearts of Oak had accused Etoile of Congo of lodging its players in a military barracks and ill-treating them before the match on 22 April, during which the Congolese side won by 5-1 goals.

CAF's executive committee meets on 7 June to examine Hearts of Oak's complaint.

In his reaction, Etoile's chairman Grebert Gampika accused the Ghanaian side of being bad losers, adding that his team won the match on merit.

He said that his side and the Congolese Football Federation would ask CAF to find a fair decision.

"At the opportune moment, the Congolese Football Federation will honestly submit its report to CAF to denounce the sporting machinations of Hearts of Oak," said Gampika, who saw this as a West African plot against his country.

"I think that CAF is composed of responsible and honest people and Congo honestly won its match and should not be robbed of this victory," said Gampika.

Sources in the Congolese capital indicated that Hearts of Oak were lodged at Marina Residence one of Brazzaville's prestigious hotels.