The Ministry of Health in the state of Sao Paulo is investigating the possibility that four players from the Argentine national team entered Brazil, presumably, in an irregular manner in accordance with the health rules in the country last Friday. The team faces Titi, on Sunday, at the New Coimica Arena, in the World Cup qualifiers in Qatar.
Goalkeeper Emiliano “Depo” Martinez, midfielder Emiliano Buendia, Athletes from Aston Villa, midfielder Giovanni Lo Celso and defender Cristian Romero from Tottenham, arrived in Sao Paulo with the rest of the Argentine delegation via Guarulhos airport one day after their victory over Venezuela in Caracas. .
The four work in England and, according to a decree from the Civil House, having spent less than 14 days in the UK, will have to perform a 14-day quarantine upon entering Brazil. Martinez and Buendia played on the field against Brentford on 28 August, while Lo Celso and Romero were on the bench against Watford the following day.
According to Anvisa (the national health monitoring agency), athletes, upon disembarkation, declare that they have no lane through countries where there are restrictions (in the case of the UK). The agency said in a statement that it had received “unofficial news.” […] provide an account of the allegedly incorrect statements made by these travelers.”
A meeting is scheduled for 17:00 this Saturday with representatives of Anvisa (the National Health Surveillance Agency), the Department of Health and the Argentine delegation to determine the case.
Argentine players train in Corinthians last Friday – Photo: Publicity / AFA
Decree No. 655, of June 23, 2021, sets the rules for the entry of foreigners into Brazil during the COVID-19 pandemic, which reads as follows:
§ 7 A traveler who complies with the provisions of Article 3, with origin or history of transit through the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Republic of South Africa and the Republic of India in the past fourteen days, upon entering Brazilian territory, must remain in quarantine for a period of fourteen days.
It sought, the Sao Paulo Health Department confirmed that it had been notified by Anvisa of the entry of the four players and that it had launched an investigation to see if there was a failure to comply with the decree or whether the athletes had any special type. Authorization. A visit by epidemiological surveillance agents from São Paulo to the hotel in Argentina is planned.
The Minister of State for Health has informed that the National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa), which is responsible for monitoring at airports, has allowed 4 athletes from the Argentine soccer team working in the United Kingdom to enter Brazil. According to Federal Decree No. 655 of June 23, 2021, they had to comply with the quarantine upon arrival in Brazil because they had passed through England in the last 14 days, which is considered a restricted area.
Following notification from the federal agency, the state health department has launched an epidemiological and sanitary investigation and will provide all information to Anvisa for deliberation regarding the need for athletes to be quarantined.
See the full note from Anvisa:
Entry rules for travelers are set out in Ministerial Decree No. 655 of 2021. According to the decree, travelers who have passed through the United Kingdom, South Africa, Northern Ireland and India in the last 14 days, with some exceptions (eg Brazilians), are prohibited from entering the national territory. Therefore, they must undergo pre-quarantine in another country before entering Brazil.
To enter the national territory, all passengers must submit a RT-PCR test to the airline prior to boarding within 72 hours. They must also complete a health statement, where they state their travel history.
The players concerned, who arrived in Brazil on a flight from Caracas (Venezuela) to Guarulhos, announced that they had not traveled to any of the four countries with restrictions in the last 14 days.
Yesterday (9/03), unofficial news reached Anvisa that allegedly incorrect statements made by these travelers.
It should be noted that false information submitted to the Brazilian authorities may constitute health violations and a violation of criminal laws. Therefore, Anvisa notified the Strategic Information Center on National Health Surveillance (CIEVS / MS), which coordinates the CIEVS network, which is responsible for the epidemiological investigation in the state of São Paulo and the municipality of Guarulhos.
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