Seven more test positive for COVID-19 ahead of ACL restart

The resumption of the AFC Asian Champions League has taken a setback with seven positive results returned from COVID-19 tests conducted on all the participating teams in the West Asian ‘hub’ of Qatar.

The Asian Football Confederation confirmed on Saturday that five players and one official from Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal and one player from Qatari side Al Duhail had tested positive for coronavirus.

Competition in the western zone restarts Monday with clubs from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Iran, United Arab Emirates and Uzbekistan meeting in the regional ‘hub’ of Qatar, where all of the games will take place.

“Those who tested positive are under medical supervision in a quarantined environment as required by the safety measures and COVID-19 protocols put in place for the tournament,” the AFC said in a statement Saturday.

The AFC had also previously revealed that United Arab Emirates team Al-Wahda will be unable to travel to Qatar after several members of the club tested positive for COVID-19. According to tournament rules, Al-Wahda will have to forfeit all group games.

Whilst in Qatar all players and officials will be put under a ‘medical bubble’ to limit their movement only to the hotel, stadium and training sites.

KEYWORDS

Asian Champions League, Al-Hilal, Al-Duhail, covid-19

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