Burkina Faso captain Bertrand Traore has described as “a scandal” coronavirus testing procedures at the Africa Cup of Nations after about five players and coach Kamou Malo tested positive in the run-up to Sunday’s opener against hosts Cameroon.
The Aston Villa forward told a press conference in Yaounde, “It’s a scandal, we cannot be deprived of first-team players 24 hours before the match.”
Assistant coach Firmin Sanou, standing in for Malo, said, “We have four or five Covid cases, mainly first team players, we’re not going to name names.”
The Burkinababae delegation are angry at the arrival of two special teams to conduct the Covid-19 tests out of which only one was sent by CAF.
They are also disputing the fact that the tests were not PCR tests, which must be carried out 48 hours before the match, and have requested a second opinion.
Traore said, “The authorities must review the organisation. We cannot accept this decision. We can redo tests of our positive players.”
