Brazilian club, Goias had to postpone their opening game of the Campeonato Brasileiro season against Sao Paulo on Sunday after 10 of the club’s players tested positive for COVID-19, the club has announced.
South American country, Brazil has over three million confirmed cases of Coronavirus and more than 100,000 deaths have been confirmed in the football loving country.
Hours before kick off on Sunday August 9, Goias announced they had been informed that 10 of their 26-man squad had a positive Coronavirus result and eight of those ten were set to feature in the starting line-up against Sao Paolo.
The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) carried out covid-19 tests on the players last week Thursday but announced they were invalid due to being “improperly packaged”, so the club had to undergo another round of testing on Friday.
On seeing the new results, Goias had to suspend the game as players took to the field to warm-up just before the scheduled kick-off at 16:00 local time (19:00 GMT).
The president of the CBF’s medical commission Jorge Pagura told SporTV: “As soon as it was clear that the results came out, that Goias had 10 players with a positive test, we started to contact the Goias medical department.
“Goias requested, as is its right, to do a counter-test. We awaited the results.
“In order not to lose the game we waited the maximum amount of time. Near the time to make the decision came the result of the 10 positives. At that time, health comes first.”
Sao Paulo, in a written statement, said they approved of the decision not to go ahead with the game.
“Sao Paulo expresses its support and informs that it is in agreement with the decision to postpone the game this Sunday, in Goiania,” the club posted on Twitter.
“There is nothing more important, at this time, than preserving health and reflecting to society the important of taking care.”
