Brazilian health authorities yank Argentines from World Cup qualifier match field for allegedly breaking COVID quarantine rules
No sooner had players kicked off for the World Cup qualifier match between Brazil and Argentina than Brazilian health officials marched onto the field and escorted several Argentine players off the field, suspending the match.
The players were accused of breaking COVID rules, the officials said, reported CNN.
“Due to the decision of the game’s referee, the match organized by FIFA between Brazil and Argentina for the World Cup qualifiers is suspended,” South America’s soccer governing body, CONMEBOL, announced on Twitter.
“The referee and the match delegate will raise a report to FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee, which will determine the steps to follow. These proceedings will abide adhere to current regulations. The World Cup qualifiers are a FIFA competition. Every decision concerning this organization and its development are of the exclusive authority of that institution.”
The dispute over coronavirus concerns halted the game within seven minutes, The Associated Press reported.
The matchup would have featured Argentina’s Lionel Messi and Brazil’s Neymar, but that was scotched when Brazilian health officials determined that three Argentine players should not be on the field because they hadn’t revealed recent trips to England when they’d arrived in Sao Paolo on Friday.
The rest of the Argentine team then walked off the field, AP said.
Antonio Barra Torres, the president of Brazil’s health agency, Anvisa, said four Argentina players will be fined and deported for allegedly not following Brazil’s COVID-19 protocols.
The four players, all from the English Premier League, were supposed to quarantine before the match, but three of them ignored the order and opted to start for Argentina, AP said.
With News Wire Services
