Club’s name ‘dragged through the mud’

THE treasurer of a club at the centre of a coronavirus cluster after some members went on a trip to Doncaster has spoken out, writes Cathy Owen.

Philip Brown said Lindsay Constitutional Club in Abercynon had been “dragged through the mud”.

During a Welsh Government press conference on Wednesday, health minister Vaughan Gething said a club outing to Doncaster Races had caused a “significant” rise in Covid-19 cases in Rhondda Cynon Taf alongside a cluster linked to Penygraig RFC.

The trip went to Doncaster but did not actually go to the races. On Thursday, one resident claimed a number of people on the coach had gone for Covid-19 tests before leaving for the day out in Doncaster, but had not received test results back before attending.

Club treasurer Mr Brown told BBC Wales the bus trip itself was not run by the venue and was organised by someone who was not a member.

He said four or five of his members went and stayed in Doncaster for two nights, before returning on Sunday.

He said he thought they probably did go to some pubs in Doncaster, but did not stop at any on the way.

Mr Brown said that a member of the club was tested last Wednesday and declared positive on the Thursday, and that the club had been shut as a result. A total of 15-20 members and staff members have become sick since.

Mr Brown said he had been in touch with Rhondda Cynon Taf council and Public Health Wales with details of who had been in the club at the weekend.

He said how Mr Gething had handled the matter was an “absolute disgrace”.

“They have dragged our club through the mud, virtually blaming us for a situation in Rhondda Cynon Taf and locking down because they reckon we are responsible,” he said.

“We are not responsible. We’ve done every measure possibly to help Public Health Wales and the Welsh Government.”

But he told BBC Radio Wales: “The members who had gone on the trip had not been tested and had not had any symptoms.

“I can categorically say, us, as the club, had no knowledge of anyone with symptoms going on that trip.”

He added that the club had worked closely with Public Health Wales and the local authority to help them identify the cluster.