Health Emergency Operations Center HEOC says the Maldives would allow AFC Cup matches on its soil despite a dramatic spike in new COVID cases in the country in the last two weeks.
Speaking at last night's HEOC news briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Mohamed Mabrook Azeez, who had stepped into lead HEOC media duties after its spokesperson Dr. Nazla Rafeeq was placed under monitoring, said that Maldives had decided to allow the AFC Cup matches as it is an international tournament.
Mabrook said under the circumstances these matches would be played under strict guidelines set by the Health Protection Agency HPA and the AFC as well.
He said that teams flying in for the matches can only arrive in the Maldives with negative PCR tests and that the squads would be placed at special facilities.
Mabrook said that the teams would only be allowed to travel between the stadium and facility and those locals who host the foreign team must not mingle with the public.
The Presidential spokesperson outlined special measures for teams from India, where the COVID-19 situation remains grim and said that Indian teams must submit negative PCR tests before departure.
He also said that locals teams who play against Indian rivals must quarantine for 14 days after the match.
The AFC Cup is an annual continental club football competition organized by the AFC. The Maldives won the bid to host group D matches of the competition in March of this year.
Two teams from the Maldives are expected to compete in the tournament this year.
