Covid outbreak halts I-League

Five players and three team officials from Real Kashmir FC, one player each from Mohammedan Sporting, debutants Sreenidi Deccan FC and Aizawl FC returned positive in the tests conducted on Tuesday.

Kolkata, Dec. 29: I-League was on Wednesday suspended for at least a week after Covid-19 breached its bio-bubble as eight players and three officials have tested positive for the dreaded virus.

Five players and three team officials from Real Kashmir FC, one player each from Mohammedan Sporting, debutants Sreenidi Deccan FC and Aizawl FC returned positive in the tests conducted on Tuesday.

“The next round of matches (on December 30 and 31) will be rescheduled. We will review the situation on January 4,” ILeague Chairman Subrata Dutta said after an emergency meeting.

The first round matches were played on Sunday and Monday while the third round games are scheduled for January 4 and 5.

Sreenidi, Mohammedan Sporting, NEROCA and Aizawl FC have matches scheduled for Thursday while RKFC have a game on Friday. All these secondround matches will now be played later.

No matches were scheduled for Wednesday.

The outbreak happened at the Novotel Hotel, one of the three bio-bubbles, set up by the organisers for the football League that began on Sunday.

Besides RKFC, Sreenidi Deccan and Mohammedan Sporting, the three other teams staying at the Novotel Hotel are Rajasthan United, Aizawl FC and NEROCA.

Dutta chaired the emergency virtual meeting of the League Committee to take a decision on continuation or suspension of the league. “The Committee unanimously decided to postpone the Hero I-League 2021-22 matches for the next round which were scheduled on December 3031, 2021. The League will review the situation once all test results come in on January 4, 2022, and reach a consensus thereafter including the next round matches on Jan 4-5,” the league statement said.