Super Eagles’ new invitee, Kingsley Ehizibue, who plays for FC Cologne of Germany, is facing a coronavirus infection scare at his club’s base, as three ‘staff’ of his team are said to be down with the deadly respiratory disease, thereby creating an in an insalubrious development that is threatening to put on hold an expected restart of the German Bundesliga later this month, megasportsarena.com gathered.
While expectations had been rife that all Bundesliga clubs could be back in full team sessions this weekend, with high hope of getting the season back on track, following the long delay caused by escalating effects of coronavirus, an outbreak of coronavirus at Ehizibue’s club has now put that plan in doubt, though the team’s management stated that training can continue.
Ehizibue’s club, which last played at their Rhein Energie Stadion home ground in February and were 10th in the Bundesliga when the season was suspended in March, due to the ravaging effects of coronavirus, confirmed three positive tests, they did not specify whether the affected persons are players or officials, but added that they are now in quarantine.
Although the infected members of the squad were not specifically identified by Ehizibue’s club, a detailed report by Daily Mail stated in part: “The playing staff, as well as coaches and backroom staff, were tested on Thursday at training and all three members whose results came back positive are all symptom free.
“The German club also confirmed they would not name the three people involved out of respect for their privacy, but confirmed that they will now enter a 14-day quarantine period. The club statement also said that group training, which like all German top-flight clubs has been running since April 6, will continue despite the positive tests.
“Cologne managing director Horst Heldt said: ‘The health and private sphere of players and staff have priority above all else. The previous measures, as well as the strategy of regular tests, have proven themselves so that we can now react with individual solutions.’
“The news has cast doubts on hopes of restarting the Bundesliga season within the next few weeks. The German league was at the forefront of football’s return, with initial plans to restart on May 9. But that decision has now been put back to May 16 for safety reasons, and despite the wide-scale testing that is underway, the news will come as further bad news for organisers and players.”
