Brazil: 10 positive Coronavirus cases ensure last minute postponement of Goias vs Sao Paulo match

Ten members of the Brazilian football team Goias were informed on Sunday that they had tested positive for the novel Coronavirus which led to a postponement of the match.

Ten members of the Brazilian football team Goias were informed on Sunday that they had tested positive for the novel Coronavirus. This resulted in a last minute game postponement as it proved to be a health hazard. The team was scheduled to face off against Sao Paulo FC without fans present as part of the first weekend of play in the Brazilian national football season.

The move to postpone the game was based on a decision by the Superior Sports Court for Football, which was finally accepted by the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF). Before the court’s decision was announced, just minutes before the scheduled start time, the two teams were in complete limbo. Sao Paulo FC players had already warmed up on the pitch.

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“Ten of our 23 players tested positive. Unfortunately, we only received the results today,” explained Goias president Marcelo Almeida, speaking to the television channel Globo.

According to media reports, the 10 players who tested positive were regular starters for the club, and would very well have made the lineup for the game against Sao Paulo FC.

Sao Paulo FC said they were in favor of postponing the game, saying on Twitter that “nothing is more important than staying healthy.”

The footballing season just recently restarted on Saturday after a three month hiatus due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Under new health and safety protocols imposed by CBF, all players have to compulsorily be tested for the deadly virus, three days (72 hours) before a game.

Brazil on Saturday surpassed 100,000 Coronavirus deaths and three million cases of infection.Brazil on Saturday surpassed 100,000 Coronavirus deaths and three million cases of infection.