Four players in the Manchester City Women squad have tested positive for COVID-19, reports the Telegraph’s Tom Garry. The four players all travelled to Dubai during the Women’s Super League Christmas break, with full permission from the club.
Manchester City Women Players Test Positive for COVID-19
Quartet Not Named
The four players have not been named by Manchester City, but their trip to Dubai was permitted as the city in the United Arab Emirates is a permitted travel zone for the United Kingdom. In addition, their journeys were made while Manchester was under Tier 3 restrictions – the UK has since gone into a full national lockdown.
Although overseas travel was not advised in Tier 3, it was permitted.
Other clubs in the WSL also allowed their players to go abroad during the break, as long as the club was based in a Tier 3 area under the government’s previous tier system. There were no league matches scheduled between December 20 and January 9.
For many players, this meant travelling home to see their families, who they had likely not seen in person since the first lockdown started back in March 2020.
Garry’s report also states that several other WSL clubs have received positive tests after the Christmas break. Clubs are testing their player upon their returns and before they take part in any training sessions.
Currently, City’s game against West Ham United this weekend is set to go ahead, but the situation will be closely monitored in the meantime.
In a statement, the club said: “Manchester City FC can confirm that four women’s first-team players have tested positive for Covid-19.
“The personnel involved will now observe a period of self-isolation in accordance with FA and UK Government protocol on quarantine.
“Everyone at the club wishes our colleagues a speedy recovery ahead of their return to work, training and competition.”
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