WELLINGTON (Reuters) – The West Indies cricket team has revoked its training privileges after several team members breached COVID-19 biosecurity protocols at their Christchurch isolation facility, the New Zealand Department of Health said today.
The team was due to be released from the facility on Friday until the final round of COVID-19 testing was completed. However, it violated its protocols several times by sharing food or mingling in corridors.
The ministry said there was no risk to the public.
“As with other sports teams that have come to New Zealand, the West Indies cricket team received certain exemptions from the managed isolation rules that apply to everyone else,” said Ashley Bloomfield, director general of health, in a statement.
“In return, they have to follow the rules.
“They did not do that, even though they agreed to adhere to the parameters of liberation.”
Bloomfield added that their training exemption had been revoked and they would remain in isolation until their release.
West Indies management did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
New Zealand Cricket said they had told visitors they had to comply with the restrictions placed on them.
New Zealand has successfully contained the spread of the coronavirus after a strict lockdown and border controls.
Almost all of the country’s few current cases involve people from overseas who are held in compulsorily managed isolation facilities for 14 days.
The roster had its third and final COVID-19 test on Wednesday and will be released on Friday where it will travel to Queenstown for warm-up games.
The first of three 20 international matches against New Zealand will take place in Auckland on November 27th.
