Brazil-Argentina match suspended due to Covid controversy
Brazil’s World Cup qualifying clash against Argentina came to a sensational halt shortly after the start of Sunday when controversy over Covid-19 protocols broke out.
Amid incredible scenes at Sao Paulo’s Neo Química Arena, the match between the two South American soccer giants came to a halt when a group of Brazilian public health officials entered the field, sparking a riot involving team personnel already Players.
Argentina’s players trudged into the locker room as the furor developed.
Argentina captain Lionel Messi came out of the tunnel again without the team jersey as confusion spread through the stadium.
The surprising intervention came just hours after Brazilian health authorities said that four players from the Argentine squad based in England should be placed in “immediate quarantine” for violating Covid-19 protocols.
According to the National Health Surveillance Agency of Brazil (ANVISA), Premier League players Giovani Lo Celso (Tottenham), Emiliano Martínez (Aston Villa), Emiliano Buendia (Aston Villa) and Cristian Romero (Tottenham) provided “false information” upon entering Brazil. .
Romero, Lo Celso and Martínez were all in Argentina’s starting lineup that kicked off Sunday’s game, prompting officials in ANVISA jerseys to intervene in the field.
The four Premier League players were accused of not disclosing that they had spent time in the UK in the 14 days prior to their arrival.
‘Series of offenses’
“We reached this point because everything that ANVISA directed, from the first moment, was not fulfilled,” ANVISA director Antonio Barra Torres told Brazilian television.
“(The four players) were ordered to remain in isolation while they awaited deportation, but they did not comply. They went to the stadium and entered the field, in a series of infractions,” the official added.
A government order dating from June 23 prohibits the entry into Brazilian territory of any foreign person from the United Kingdom, India or South Africa, to prevent the spread of variants of the coronavirus.
“ANVISA considers that this situation represents a serious health risk and recommends that the local health authorities (of Sao Paulo) order the immediate quarantine of the players, who are prohibited from participating in any activity and staying in Brazilian territory,” the agency. it said in a statement the previous Sunday.
ANVISA said that the Brazilian Federal Police had been notified so that “the necessary measures be taken immediately.”
With the game seemingly abandoned, the Brazil team started a practice game in the arena and the Argentina team had reportedly left the stadium.
South American soccer’s governing body CONMEBOL said in a statement that the game had been “suspended,” but did not say whether the match would be resumed or replayed.
“By decision of the match referee, the match organized by FIFA between Brazil and Argentina for the World Cup qualifiers is suspended,” CONMEBOL said in a statement.
“The referee and the match commissioner will present a report to the FIFA Disciplinary Committee, which will determine the steps to be followed. These procedures strictly adhere to current regulations.”
CONMEBOL added that since the qualifiers were part of a FIFA competition, it would be up to the world governing body for soccer to determine the next course of action.
“The World Cup qualifying rounds are a FIFA competition,” CONMEBOL said. “All decisions regarding its organization and development are the exclusive competence of that institution.
The controversy comes after nine Premier League-based Brazilians did not travel to South America due to objections from their clubs.
(AFP)
