Prominent midfielder Diego and Castro captain Perth Glory decided not to complete the Australian Football League season due to an "unacceptable health risk" amid the Covid-19 pandemic, preferring to go on a camping trip with his family.
Club Glori said the 38-year-old Spaniard had refused to join his New South Wales teammates in preparation for the league resumption on Friday after the season was interrupted in March due to the epidemic.
Fox Sports reported that Castro went on a camping trip with his family in Western Australia and had not contacted the club for a while.
"Glori captain has informed the club that he sees his participation unacceptable due to the health risks to him and his family," Glori coach Tony Popovich said in a statement.
"We are definitely disappointed at the absence of the captain and a player in Diego's competence," said Jacob Burns, director of football at Glory.
Castro was not the first player to prefer not to complete the Australian League, as Panagiotis Kouni, the former Western United midfielder and former Greece national team, went to Europe despite a year remaining at the end of his contract.
Melbourne City confirmed on Tuesday that Spain striker Markel Societa had left the club to return to his country and stay with his family.