Coronavirus

Footballers sleep on airport floor after testing positive for Covid-19

football pandemic airport
Independiente team at the Salvador airport. Photo: Twitter/@Independiente

On Tuesday, a Covid-19 outbreak marred a continental football match between Brazilian side Bahia and Argentina’s Independiente, held in the northeastern city of Salvador. Eleven of Independiente’s squad tested positive for the coronavirus upon arriving in Brazil. While their teammates moved on to their hotel to prepare for the match, the remainder slept on the airport floor, waiting to return to Buenos Aires.

Independiente’s official Twitter account said the club was “mistreated” by local authorities. Indeed, the same players tested negative upon returning to Argentina, raising suspicions. The two sides drew the match 2-2.