After positive corona tests by around a dozen of its delegation members for the Copa America in Brazil, Venezuela has appointed 15 new players.
This emerges from a message from the Venezuelan Football Association FVF on Saturday evening (local time).
Among those who tested positive were eight players who were immediately isolated.
The South American football association Conmebol had previously lifted the limit of players who can be replaced due to Covid-19.
In Brasília, Venezuela is set to meet host and defending champion Brazil around superstar Neymar at the start of the prestigious tournament this Sunday.
Portuguese coach José Peseiro said the failures had affected preparation.
"Tomorrow we will compete with eleven players who have never trained or played together." Four people from the Bolivian delegation also tested positive.
According to a statement from the Bolivian Football Association, there are three players and one member of the coaching staff.
Brazilian Health Minister Marcelo Queiroga said the players would only leave the country after a negative corona test.
“There will be no players coming and going.
Players who test positive remain in quarantine. "
A few weeks before the start of the tournament, first Colombia and then Argentina dropped out as the host. Then the Conmebol moved the South American Championship to Brazil, which led to widespread criticism. In Brazil with 210 million inhabitants, more than 17 million people have been infected with the coronavirus, around 486,000 people have died in connection with Covid-19.