Fury at ‘Covidiot players’ party
FOUR Premier League stars were last night branded ‘Covidiots’ for breaking strict tier 4 restrictions by holding a Christmas house party.
Tottenham Hotspur players Erik Lamela, Giovani Lo Celso and Sergio Reguilon partied with West Ham’s Manuel Lanzini and their partners, children and friends.
The party, where at least 18 guests were present, was believed to have been held on Christmas Day at Lo Celso’s home in London. All of the players made grovelling apologies last night following a furore.
News of the illegal gathering emerged yesterday when a picture of the party was briefly posted on Instagram and swiftly went viral. Football fans and the public were united in condemning the stars as ‘Covidiots’.
The Government imposed tier 4 restrictions on London and the South East a week before Christmas to combat escalating rates of Covid-19 infections caused by a new mutant strain of the virus.
Under t he rules, different households must not mix. Breaking the rules can result in a fine starting at £200, rising to £6,400 for repeat offenders.
Before Tottenham’s 3-0 victory over Leeds yesterday, the club issued a statement condemning its three players, saying: ‘We are extremely disappointed… particularly as we know the sacrifices everybody around t he country made to stay safe over the festive period. The matter will be dealt with internally.’
Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho also expressed his dismay, adding that he had bought Madrid-born Reguilon, 24, a Portuguese piglet for Christmas. ‘I gave it to him because I was told he was going to spend Christmas on his own. An amazing gift.’
West Ham said it was disappointed by Lanzini’s actions, adding: ‘ The matter has been dealt with internally and Manuel has been strongly reminded of his responsibilities.’
Lo Celso, 24, said: ‘I want to apologise to everyone. I understand the great sacrifices people are making… and the frustration you have expressed towards me is justified.’