Sao Paulo (AFP)
The qualifying match for the 2022 World Cup between Brazil and Argentina was interrupted on Sunday, in Sao Paulo, after the intervention of the Brazilian health agency Anvisa, for violation of anticovid protocols on the part of four players Argentines playing in England.
The Argentines returned to the locker room after this interruption in the fifth minute of play in this shock of the South American qualifications, following the entry on the field of an agent of Anvisa, in the general confusion.
A few hours before the kick-off, Anvisa announced in a statement that it had recommended to the local authorities of the State of Sao Paulo that the four footballers be "immediately placed in quarantine" for having provided "false information" in the entry form to Brazil.
According to the health agency, Giovanni Lo Celso (Tottenham), Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa), Emiliano Buendia (Aston Villa) and Cristian Romero (Tottenham) have failed to report that they had stayed in the United Kingdom for the last fourteen days preceding their arrival.
A ministerial order dated June 23 prohibits entry into Brazilian territory to any foreign person from the United Kingdom, India or South Africa, to prevent the spread of variants of Covid-19.
The Anvisa press release reported a "serious health risk", prohibiting players from "taking part in any activity and remaining on Brazilian territory".
Despite this decision, Lo Celso, Martinez and Romero had been lined up in the starting 11 of the Albiceleste and had started the game.
Unlike the nine Brazilians in the Premier League summoned by coach Tite, the four Argentines made the trip despite the veto of English clubs, who banned their South American players from participating in these international matches to avoid a quarantine on their return.
© 2021 AFP