Olympic football team hit by Covid
Two players and analyst positive
With three days to go before their first encounter at the Olympic Games, the Covid-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on the SA Under-23 team, with two players and a technical team member testing positive.
Coach David Notoane is preparing his troops for their Group A match against host nation Japan at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo on Thursday (1pm SA time).
Video analyst Mario Masha tested positive on Thursday and went into isolation. Thabiso Monyane and Kamohelo Mahlatsi tested positive on Friday and Saturday, and the two players went into isolation.
“Imagine if we were in the same situation of being in isolation before a match day. It means that the match day one schedule is affected. It is scary, and I can share the same sentiments of all teams that are coming to Japan. It is going to be a difficult tournament,” said Notoane on the Safa media platform.
He said competing in the Olympic Games with so many restrictions is unsettling the teams. “It is not fun, and then again we live in a new normal. It is unsettling, uncomfortable and there is a lot of uncertainty. We cannot even think of our starting line-up against Japan, and it makes the game a little bit of a turn-off,” said Notoane.
Because of the positive cases, team manager Mxolisi Sibam said the whole team was quarantined. They are waiting for the green light to return to training.
“Masha and Monyane reported high temperatures and positive saliva tests and were taken to do the nasal test, which we all had initially taken and, unfortunately, tested positive for Covid-19 through that test.
“Mahlatsi is the latest player going through the same process,” said Sibam.