HAMILTON, Bermuda, CMC – Bermuda football bosses stayed tight yesterday after at least one coronavirus test failed following the national team’s return from a training camp in Florida, leaving their World Cup qualifying campaign in chaos.
The Ministry of Health announced that four residents who flew in on American Airlines flight last Monday night from Miami tested positive for COVID-19.
The Royal Gazette newspaper said it understood that at least one of the four was a member of the 28-strong squad that saw Bermuda beat the Bahamas 3-0 and draw the other friendly against them 0-0 during their weekly stay in Bradenton, Florida.
National coach Kyle Lightbourne declined to comment when contacted Friday, referring the matter to the Bermuda Football Association (BFA) whose president, Mark Wade, did not immediately respond to media inquiries.
Attempts to reach Health Minister Kim Wilson were also unsuccessful, but a ministry spokeswoman later said “it is a policy not to comment on individual cases” for reasons of confidentiality.
Bermuda is due to face Canada in Orlando on March 25 and Aruba at home five days later in the World Cup qualifiers.
The Gazette said that the mandatory 14-day quarantine period for each of the 28-person travel party means that it is highly unlikely that Lightbourne and his charges will be cleared to go on a flight before a Canadian game, which was changed to Florida due to travel restrictions in Canada.
The Bermuda team that took the Bahamas included several fringe players who hoped to impress the management.
The front-line players left behind include forward Reggie Lambe and goalkeeper Dale Eve, who have just completed their quarantine periods on their return from England on February 25 after their respective leagues ended early because of the pandemic.
Bermuda’s highest paid player, Bristol City striker Nahki Wells, is not expected to make himself available for World Cup qualifying matches, where Bermuda will also face Suriname and the Cayman Islands, although the 30-year-old has not officially say that.
Football in Bermuda was suspended three months ago because of the pandemic and no date has been given for its resumption.
Sports Minister Ernest Peets recently announced that some protocols would have to be met before contact sports can resume.