Fremantle player tested for COVID-19 amid concerns 2020 AFL season could be disrupted
AFL bosses will brief clubs on the threat of coronavirus on Tuesday as a leading sports doctor raised fears the 2020 season could be disrupted by the virus. It comes as an AFL player is tested for coronavirus.
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AFL clubs will be briefed on the prospect of disruptions to the season because of the coronavirus at a meeting with league chiefs on Tuesday.
It comes as Fremantle last night sent a member of its playing group for testing after presenting with flu-like symptoms.
The identity of the player was not disclosed but he is believed to have recently come into contact with a person from China.
Fremantle released a statement confirming the player had been tested and isolated.
“The Fremantle Football Club advises that a player has been sent for precautionary COVID-19 testing after having contact with a friend who had been in China earlier this year,’ the statement read.
“The club was further advised that following the completion of the 14-day isolation period by the friend, which ended more than two weeks ago, the friend travelled to Perth and visited the player.
‘The player reported to club medical staff today that he was suffering flu-like symptoms and, as a precautionary measure and despite the fact that the friend had reported no flu-like symptoms, the player was immediately sent for testing and isolated.”
Richmond and Carlton will launch the 2020 premiership action at the MCG next Thursday night — March 19 — in front of an estimated 90,000 fans.
But the spread of COVID-19 infection is wreaking havoc with the staging of sporting events around the globe.
Bahrain has made the call to run its Grand Prix on March 22 without spectators, while Indian Wells in Southern California, the largest tennis tournament outside the four grand slams, has been cancelled.
The most likely option for the AFL if the Australian outbreak worsens would be the staging of matches in front of empty grandstands.
“Our number one priority is the health and safety of all our people and supporters,” a league spokesman said on Monday.
“The AFL — like other major sporting and business organisations — is continuing to take advice from the Australian Government and the relevant medical authorities.
“The advice from the government is that it is business as usual and that includes people attending major events or sporting matches. The AFL will continue to monitor the situation.”
The league has formed a “coronavirus working group” to lead its response.
Top sports medico Dr Peter Larkins warned a single positive diagnosis by an AFL player for coronavirus could derail the season because of the “subsequent quarantine of all teammates and club staff”.
It is the AFL’s regular pre-season meeting at which club chiefs are briefed on a number of issues including concussion.
“If one single AFL player contracts COVID-19 infection the entire 2020 season will be compromised,” Larkins tweeted.
“The AFL must be discussing all scenarios right now.”
If one single afl player contracts Covid-19 infection( with subsequent quarantine of all teammates & club staff)the entire 2020 season will be comprised- AFL must be discussing all scenarios right now https://t.co/Z0E4eSIf0W
— Dr Peter Larkins (@doclarkins) March 8, 2020
The Victorian Government says it will pull the trigger on the banning of mass public gatherings once the threshold of “significant community transmissions” has been reached.
Until that point — as yet no local transmissions have been reported — Victorians are being encouraged to go about their normal lives while taking appropriate precautions.
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Serie A soccer matches in Italy, the world’s worst hit region outside China, are being played without spectators, while a European Tour golf tournament in Kenya has been postponed.
US sporting codes including the NBA and Major League Baseball are also exploring options to shut out spectators.
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