COVID-19+ PLAYERS NEGLECTED

MBABANE – The start of the 2020/21 season has left the Eswatini Football Association (EFA) with an egg splashed all over their faces.

This comes after some players who tested positive for COVID-19 were neglected and there was no follow up on their contacts. This has brought panic to some teams and the people who were in contact with these positive players.

The Manzini-based team players, known to this publication but cannot be revealed due to the nature of the matter, tested for COVID-19 a fortnight ago (December 5, 2020) and they were only given the results last Friday, with one player’s result coming out positive. 

While awaiting their results, the player that tested positive mingled with the rest of the team for a whole week at training and he was in contact with his close family and friends. 

The player said since he received the results, nothing has been communicated to him concerning his contact people and how he has to deal with the situation. He was only told to isolate himself.

positive

“I only got a call from the EFA on Friday morning informing me that I have tested positive for COVID-19. They said I will be visited by some health officials, but since then that has never happened and my contacts have not been tested and visited by the health workers,” said the player.

He said he had been in isolation since Friday with no visits or check ups from health workers.

“My worry is the people I was in contact with because nothing has been done for them and they have not been contacted by the health workers or tested. This is really worrying and frustrating. It is not good for all of us and I believe a lot of people have been exposed,” he said.

A source close to the matter said what created panic in the club was when some of the players’ temperatures reached around 39 degrees upon arrival at the playing venue. A source close to the team said now they would have to test the players, again for COVID-19 as they have been exposed.

One person who has been in contact with the player, who also tested positive, said they were facing a difficult situation as they did not know where to go.

“We made attempts to contact health officials and the EFA on the matter but we were ignored as of now (yesterday) nothing has been done and some do not know their status. One official suggested that we undergo tests at our own fee but that is too expensive for us,” he said.

A source close to the matter said some teams received their results hours before kickoff of the games and were lucky there were no positive cases. 

results

“We waited for the results the whole week while the players were training together and it is shocking when some of the results came back negative. What makes it even worse is that the positive cases had not been given the attention they deserve,” said the source.

The Premier League of Eswatini (PLE) kicked off the season on Saturday, when one match was played between Green Mamba and Milling Hot Spurs while the Moneni Pirates and Mhlume Peacemakers match was cancelled. 

On Sunday, five matches were played with one also cancelled. 

EFA Communication and Marketing Officer Muzi Radebe said the COVID-19 matter was sensitive and it was being handled by the medical team.

tests

“We initiate the tests and once it is done, it is a matter of the health department. The results of the tests should reach the teams before kick-off of the match and those who test positive have guidelines that were laid down and they must be adhered to including isolation,” he said.

During the MTN Premier League games, all those who entered the stadiums had their temperatures taken and sanitised while those not accredited turned away. 

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