Indian Super League (ISL) side Bengaluru FC‘s AFC cup match against Maldives’ Club Eagles is now in jeopardy after local media reports emerged that the Indian club allegedly flouted quarantine rules. Bengaluru FC are scheduled to play the match on Tuesday.
Maldives’ Minister of Youth, Sports & Community Empowerment, Ahmed Mahloof took to Twitter to show displeasure in Bengaluru FC’s behaviour.
He wrote, “Unacceptable behavior from@bengalurufc breaching the strict guidelines from HPA & @theafcdotcom.. The club should leave (Maldives) immediately as we can’t entertain this act. We honoured the commitment we gave a few months back even with the surge in cases & pressure from the public."
The recent guidelines set by the Ministry of Tourism of Maldives set for tourists coming from India says that tourists can only stay in one place (where they book their resort) during their entire trip and no island-hopping is allowed:
- Tourist arriving from India (including those exceeding transit stays of 24 hours) who have completed the prescribed dose(s)of a Covid-19 vaccine,must hold a negative result for a nucleic acid test (PCR test) for COVID-l9 prior to entry into the Maldives. The sample for said PCR test must be taken not more than 96 hours prior to the scheduled time of departure from the first port of embarkation en-route to the Maldives. Furthermore, all above mentioned tourists should undertake a PCR test for COVID-l9 within a maximum of 72 hours prior to their departure from the Maldives.
- To halt any further check-ins of inbound tourists from India(including those exceeding transit stays of 24 hours in India) to Guesthouses and Hotels in Inhabited Islands (excluding hotels and guesthouses in secluded areas of the Inhabited Islands)
In a following Tweet, the Maldives’ Minister of Youth, Sports & Community Empowerment further wrote that he has asked Foreign Affairs Ministry to make Bengaluru FC’s departure.
The Bengaluru FC players and staff, who landed in Male on Friday, May 7, got straight down to business to prepare for the tough challenge, as the winners of the match will progress to the group stages of the 2021 AFC Cup.
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