Brazil’s CBF says Argentina were warned of irregularities and quarantine requirements

The
top-of-the-table
fixture
was
halted
following
an
apparent
breach
of
coronavirus
regulations,
Argentina
naming
three
Premier
League
players
in
their
starting
line-up
–
Aston
Villa
goalkeeper
Emiliano
Martinez
and
Tottenham
pair
Cristian
Romero
and
Giovani
Lo
Celso.

Brazil
had
called
up
nine
Premier
League
stars
to
their
side,
though
none
of
the
group
travelled,
with
top-flight
English
clubs
given
backing
not
to
release
players.

Travellers
from
the
United
Kingdom
are
also
restricted
entry
to
Brazil
if
they
have
spent
time
in
the
country
within
the
previous
14
days.

Despite
the
rulings,
Martinez,
Romero
and
Lo
Celso
were
all
starters
for
Lionel
Scaloni’s
Copa
America
champions
Argentina,
with
Brazilian
health
officials
quickly
acting
by
entering
the
pitch
shortly
after
the
match
had
started.

A
subsequent
melee
ensued
and
the
visitors
eventually
left
the
field
and
did
not
return,
Brazil
playing
out
a
training
fixture
among
one
another.

As
FIFA
investigates,
CBF
released
a
statement
on
Monday,
providing
further
information
following
a
meeting
that
took
place
at
the
Hotel
Marriot
on
Saturday
amid
criticism
from
Argentina,
denying
it
interfered.

“CBF
sent
representation
to
said
meeting
as
a
listener,
at
the
request
of
the
Health
Surveillance
of
the
State
of
Sao
Paulo,
where
representatives
of
the
aforementioned
agency,
the
Ministry
of
Health,
ANVISA,
CONMEBOL
and
the
Argentine
Football
Association
(AFA)
were
gathered.

“The
CBF
was
represented
by
Dr.
Roberto
Nishimura,
operational
coordinator
of
the
special
medical
committee,
and
there
was
no
interference
on
his
part
in
relation
to
administrative
or
sanitary
aspects.
This
meeting
ended
around
18:00.

“As
it
understands
that
this
is
not
a
matter
of
its
attribution,
at
no
time
was
there
any
manifestation
by
the
CBF
representative
to
the
authorities
regarding
the
health
issue
of
the
four
Argentine
athletes,
either
in
the
sense
of
releasing
or
vetoing
their
participation
in
the
game.

“At
this
meeting,
the
representatives
of
the
Argentine
national
team
were
informed
that
there
was
an
irregularity
in
the
entry
of
players,
that
they
should
be
quarantined
and
received
guidance
from
the
authorities
to
request,
with
the
competent
bodies,
special
authorisation
for
the
players
to
have
their
situation
regularised.
It
was
a
technical
discussion
between
ANVISA,
the
Ministry
of
Health
and
the
Argentine
Association.

“After
the
meeting,
when
the
athletes’ presence
was
requested,
the
Health
Surveillance
agents
were
informed
that
the
players
had
left
for
training,
not
complying
with
the
instructions
given
during
the
meeting.
The
agency
reported
the
non-compliance
to
the
National
Health
Surveillance
Agency
and
the
Ministry
of
Health,
responsible
for
analysing
the
request
for
exceptionality
forwarded
by
CONMEBOL
on
behalf
of
the
AFA.

“All
these
steps
are
described
in
detail
by
ANVISA
in
an
official
note
published
on
Sunday,
5,
and
updated
this
Monday,
6,
as
complete
at
the
end
of
this.

“On
Sunday,
5th,
this
request
had
an
official
negative
response,
by
the
Ministry
of
Health
to
CONMEBOL,
and
the
Argentine
national
team
was
notified,
directly
at
Neo
Quimica
Arena,
with
enough
time
to
adopt
the
necessary
procedures.

“As
for
the
information
that
circulated
about
the
presence
of
CBF’s
Director
of
Competitions,
Manoel
Flores,
at
the
Argentine
delegation’s
hotel,
CBF
informs
that
he
was
in
fact
at
the
hotel
on
Saturday,
around
3:00
pm,
solely
to
talk
about
operational
details
of
the
game
with
the
atache
[member
of
the
team
organising
the
match]
who
accompanied
the
Argentine
national
team,
remaining
in
place
for
about
15
minutes
and
not
having
dealt
with
any
matter
related
to
the
Argentine
players.
Visiting
the
visiting
delegation’s
hotel
is
a
regular
routine
in
every
gaming
operation.

“The
CBF
further
clarifies
that
it
strictly
fulfilled
its
institutional
role
as
the
game’s
host
entity,
informing
everyone
involved
in
the
game
about
the
health
laws
in
force
in
the
country
in
a
letter
sent,
through
the
General
Secretariat
of
the
entity,
on
July
5th,
and
later
resubmitted
on
11
August
and
2
September.

“CBF
reiterates
that
it
defends
the
implementation
of
the
most
rigorous
health
protocols
and
complies
with
them
in
their
entirety,
both
in
the
national
territory
and
in
countries
where
the
Brazilian
team
acts
as
a
visitor.

“The
CBF
also
emphasises
that
at
no
time,
through
the
interim
President,
Ednaldo
Rodrigues,
or
its
directors,
interfered
in
any
point
related
to
the
sanitary
protocol
established
by
the
Brazilian
authorities
for
the
entry
of
people
into
the
country.
The
role
of
the
CBF
was
always
in
an
attempt
to
promote
understanding
between
the
entities
involved
so
that
the
sanitary
protocols
could
be
fulfilled
satisfactorily
and
the
game
could
be
played.”