In the Moscow Lokomotiv four cases of coronavirus infection were detected. This became known as a result of testing, which was held by football players, coaching staff and team personnel before the preparatory training camp at its base in Bakovka.
The coronavirus was found only in players - midfielders Dmitry Barinov and Roman Tugarev, goalkeeper Anton Kochenkov and striker Timur Suleymanov. The press service of the "railroad" said that the players feel good, and the disease is asymptomatic in all of them. At the moment, they are on self-isolation at home. The remaining players continue to prepare for the restart of the season, which is scheduled for June 21.
This is not the first case of a virus detected by Lokomotiv players. On May 16, it became known about the positive test striker Jefferson Farfan. He was the first in the Russian Premier League to be diagnosed with COVID-19. The full recovery of the Peruvian has not yet been reported.
In RPL already identified more than 10 cases of coronavirus. Earlier, Spartak, Rubin, Dynamo, Krasnodar, Orenburg and Ural reported the discovery of a disease among their players. Also, the infection was detected in the owner of red-white Leonid Fedun. Five players have recovered so far - Philip Rogich, Zhiga Shkoflek, Andrea Chukanov (all - “Orenburg”), Magomed-Shapi Suleymanov (“Krasnodar”) and Roman Zobnin (“Spartak”).
Former President of the Russian Football Union (RFU) Vyacheslav Koloskov criticized Lokomotiv in connection with the infection of four players.
“This is just a loss of control on the part of the leaders and absolute disorder on the part of the players. The decision was made, it remains only to prepare and take care of yourself. This is the carelessness of the players, they are absolutely irresponsible. Infecting football players is still the fault of the coaches and doctors, those who must ensure all control measures, ”Koloskov told RIA Novosti.
Former RFU Secretary General Anatoly Vorobyov admitted in a conversation with RT that he expected a similar development of events in Lokomotiv.
“In the RFU and RPL there are people who know how to calculate risks. When it was decided to resume the season, those in charge should have thought this through. Let's hope for the best, there is still time for the situation to improve. I have already said that in teams that are not profitable to end the season, there will be more infected. Therefore, what happened at Lokomotiv was to be expected. All that remains is to wish health, ”said Vorobyov.
According to the former functionary, new cases of infection in the camp of the "railroad" can significantly prevent the return of football to the stadiums on June 21, as the RFU wants.
“There are precedents for coronavirus reintroducing restrictions. Dresden Dynamo in the second Bundesliga does not hold matches, in the championship of Belarus certain games are canceled. All these risks remain. The question is how responsibly everyone will approach this problem. We must wait, be patient, there are still three to four weeks to prepare for the resumption of the season. It is unlikely that spectators will be allowed into the stadiums, although without them football is no longer such a pretty sight. The atmosphere in the stands is a very important component, ”Vorobyov recalled.
Almost simultaneously with the news of new cases of coronavirus infection in Lokomotiv, some media reported that fans could attend the remaining matches of this season. According to a number of sources, Rospotrebnadzor agreed on such an opportunity with the Russian Premier League. At the same time, the stands will not be completely filled - authorities and clubs will allow stadiums to be filled only by 10% of the total capacity.