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Copa America: Chile broke the health bubble by bringing in a hairdresser

The Chilean Football Federation admitted on Sunday that it had broken the health bubble surrounding its selection for the Copa America, due to the arrival of a hairdresser on the site where the players are gathered in Cuiaba (central Brazil).

“The Federation and the technical staff recognize the violation of the delegation’s sanitary bubble after the unauthorized entry of a hairdresser who, despite a negative PCR test, should not have come into contact with the players”, said the Federation in a statement posted on social networks.

She adds, without specifying which ones, that the “people involved will be financially sanctioned”.

Before the meeting of Chile against Bolivia (1-0), Friday on behalf of the second day of the Copa America (group A), one of the stars of the Chilean selection, Arturo Vidal, as well as the defender Gary Medel , had posted on social networks photos showing them having their hair cut by a local hairdresser, apparently in the premises of the hotel where “La Roja” lives.

“We regret this situation and inform that all the members of the delegation presented a negative PCR test this Saturday”, concluded the Federation.

The coach of Chile, the Uruguayan Martin Lasarte, condemned this behavior while relativizing it. This situation “disturbed me, it is normal. It is unfortunately what one can consider as a serious error, an imprudence, but that is all. It is a situation which can be solved, which can be saved, and who is on the right track, “said the technician in a virtual press conference from the Arena Pantanal stadium.

“We have to pay for this mistake, we have to be exemplary given the moment we live in, and we hope that this mistake does not affect the game in a negative way,” he added.

– Contacts prohibited –

For the goalkeeper and captain of the national team, Claudio Bravo, such behavior “undermines” the concentration that a selection in the Copa America must have. “We are aware of what we are going through with the pandemic. We as a team know the mistake we made and we as a team take responsibility for the consequences of it all. Those who participated in it took responsibility for it. error and the consequences of their actions, “said the 38-year-old doorman.

According to the Chilean press, the South American Football Confederation (Conmebol) should open a disciplinary file with the local federation for non-compliance with strict health protocols, while Brazil, host country of the Copa America, is the second country hardest hit in the world by the Covid-19 pandemic, with half a million dead since Saturday.

It is forbidden for delegations participating in the competition to come into contact with other people, and those who violate the measure face an economic sanction from Conmebol of approximately $ 30,000.

Vidal, who has regularly committed acts of indiscipline during his career, contracted Covid-19 earlier this month.

Before the two qualifying matches for the 2022 World Cup in June, the health secretariat of Santiago de Chile opened an investigation against the Inter Milan midfielder for violating special health rules for athletes and to determine the circumstances in which he was infected with.

Chile meet Uruguay on Monday in Cuiaba, in a match counting for Matchday 3 of Group A.

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