‘That’s worse than playing a suspended player’ - Reggae Boy Morrison hits out at Costa Rica COVID controversy

NATIONAL MIDFIELDER Ravel Morrison has voiced his concerns after the Jamaica Football Federation reported that two of the three Costa Ricans who played in their World Cup qualifying football game on Wednesday night at the National Stadium had tested positive for COVID-19 and should not have taken the field.

As first reported by The Gleaner, JFF medical committee chairman, Dr Guyan Arscott, confirmed on Wednesday night after the match that six members of the delegation, including three players, tested positive for the virus. Costa Rica won the game 1-0, ending the Reggae Boyz' World Cup hopes.

When the news broke on Wednesday night, Morrison took to social media, saying the game should be either replayed or the match forfeited to Jamaica.

"That's worse than playing a suspended player. Game should be replayed or forfeit. I'm sure if it was two players from Jamaica we would be under a lot of pressure, just my opinion," Morrison said on Twitter.

The Costa Rica Federation issued a response to the reports, stating that the two players had recovered from the virus and FIFA and Concacaf authorised them to play.

"All the documentation was presented proving that the other two players who scored positive were recovered cases with less than 25 days of having had a positive result for COVID-19. Therefore, based on existing regulations and based on the documentation presented by the Costa Rican Soccer Federation, both FIFA and CONCACAF authorised the participation of said players," the statement read.

The release went further to say that while the JFF medical commission recommended that the players not participate, the request did not come from a recognised source.

JFF President, Michael Ricketts, said that they have sent a report to FIFA and are awaiting further details regarding any possible sanctions. However, he said that contempt was shown by the Costa Ricans.

"It is a show of disrespect and disregard for our own protocols and regulations because we certainly, and I'm absolutely sure that our medical team, even if we wanted to, our medical team would not permit us to do that (play COVID-19) positive players)," Ricketts said.

Health Minister, Dr Christopher Tufton, said that he is awaiting a report regarding the matter before determining if there were any breaches to the protocols.

Article 9.5 of the FIFA Return to Play Protocol states that persons who test positive in the respective host country must isolate for a period of time determined by the local health authorities. The protocols also mention the procedure regarding those who would have recovered from the virus and tested positive.

The protocol states: "As the pandemic evolves, there is increased potential for individuals who have previously recovered from COVID-19 to deliver positive PCR test results, despite having no contagion risk or virus symptoms. The participation of these individuals in the match should be considered on a case-by-case basis."