Brazilian champion Flamengo has asked league organizers to cancel this weekend’s adjustment against Palmeiras after 16 of their players tested on COVID-19.
Seven players tested positive in Tuesday’s Copa Libertadores attack against Barcelona in Ecuador and several others, along with their coach and doctor, for the virus upon their return.
“This is a situation,” Rodrigo Dunshee, the club’s vice president of legal affairs, said in a video posted on the club’s Twitter account.
“It’s very important to end this at the root. We can’t pass it on to other groups that will pass it on to other groups. The right thing to do is to delay this game.
“It turns out we only have nine players and three goalkeepers,” he added.
The Brazilian Football Confederation has so far refused with a request, claiming that the Rio de Janeiro club has a sufficiently giant team to take over withdrawals.
The Sao Paulo Players Union said it supported Flamengo’s appeal and CBF’s irresponsible refusal.
Flamengo, who was one of the clubs that pushed for football’s rapid return in June, said he feared that calling marginal players for Sunday’s match would only aggravate the situation.
“There is no point in inviting young players to play . . . their fitness and that of their families are at risk,” Dunshee said.
“There is a massive threat that players who have not yet tested positive, will test positive or on Monday. We need, to ensure (the well-being) of all, that Flamengo does not play. “
The controversy comes in the country with the highest number of deaths from coronavirus outside the United States, more than 135,000 Brazilians have died from the virus.
Football resumed in Brazil in June with Flamengo starting the national championship in Rio de Janeiro, followed by other state tournaments in July and August.
(Report via Andrew Downie, edited via Ed Osmond)
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