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Game abandoned after Corona scandal in Brazil: Authority takes players off the field

Updated on September 6th, 2021, 7:52 am

  • The game that did not take place: Because Argentine footballers violated Corona regulations, Brazil’s health authority has canceled the game in World Cup qualification.
  • The process makes for memorable images.

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Neymar looked incredulous, Lionel Messi no longer seemed to understand the world: In a quick action he did Brazil Health authority Anvisa due to the World Cup qualifier between Brazil and Argentina on Sunday evening (local time) Violations of corona regulations interrupted.

Pictures of the unprecedented incident on Sunday, in which several players from the Argentine national team were taken from the field a few minutes after kick-off, went around the world.

Employees get players off the pitch

The Brazilian Football Association (CBF) said it was “absolutely surprised” at the timing of the measure. From his point of view, Anvisa could have acted much more appropriately – even in the days before the game.

The Argentine Football Association (AFA) announced that the Albiceleste delegation had been in Brazil since September 3 at 8 a.m. and complied with all health protocols prescribed by the South American Football Association Conmebol.

Six minutes after the game kicked off in São Paulo, employees of the health authority took the field and brought the Argentinians Emiliano Martínez, Cristian Romero and Giovanni Lo Celso, who play for English clubs, off the field.

“The game that didn’t take place”

After that, the other Argentine players left the pitch, while the Brazilians stayed – they later started a training session as a substitute. The federal police waited in front of the stadium to Argentina To accompany the team. The bus with the team took hours to leave.

“The date went down in history: September 5, 2021, Brazil-Argentina”, wrote the Brazilian portal “Globoesporte”. “The game that didn’t take place.”

After the incident, the game was canceled. “At the decision of the referee,” as Conmebol announced on Twitter. The world football association FIFA announced a detailed statement. There was initially no information about a catch-up date for the game or any loss of points for one of the teams.

A few hours before the game, Anvisa had ordered quarantine for the four Argentine internationals Martínez and Emiliano Buendía (both Aston Villa) as well as Lo Celso and Romero (both Tottenham Hotspur). Buendía was missing, Martínez, Romero and Lo Celso were in the starting line-up.

Quarantine enforcement failed

Anvisa justified its actions with reference to the Brazilian laws. An unsuccessful attempt was made to quarantine the four national players concerned after a meeting with representatives of the Brazilian Ministry of Health, Conmebol, CBF and the delegation of Argentina on Saturday. Nevertheless, the players took part in training on Saturday evening.

On Sunday, the federal police were informed and tried to enforce the quarantine that had been ordered in the meantime, to separate the four players from the team and bring them to the airport, until the start of the game.

According to the broadcaster “TyC Sports”, Martínez, Buendía, Romero and Lo Celso were able to fly back to Argentina with the national team on Sunday evening, but as deportees. A photo from an airplane was posted on the national team’s Twitter page, accompanied by the words: “We’re going home.”

“What happened today is regrettable for football,” wrote the Argentine association president Claudio Tapia Twitter. “We wanted to play the game, the Brazilian footballers too. It should have been a festival for everyone to enjoy the best players in the world,” said Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni, who led the team to the Copa America.

Authority speaks of “serious health risk”

The English Premier League clubs had refused to release players for matches in countries on the so-called Red Corona list of the British government, many of them in South America and Africa. Brazil therefore had to do without nine professionals from the island.

Argentina, on the other hand, flew their quartet from England to qualify for the World Cup – and assumed they could build on them in all three World Cup qualifiers.

When entering from Caracas after the first qualifying game against Venezuela, the England professionals did not state, according to Anvisa, that they had been in the United Kingdom, Northern Ireland, South Africa or India in the past 14 days. Foreign travelers who were there during this period are not allowed to enter Brazil due to the corona restrictions.

“Anvisa considers the situation to be a serious health risk and has therefore advised the local health authorities to order the immediate quarantine of players who are prohibited from participating in any activities,” said a statement from the authority. In addition, the players should no longer be allowed to stay on Brazilian territory. (dpa / fte)

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