Bengaluru FC told to return from AFC cup after bio bubble breach
Maldives Sports Minister asks the team to return back, cancels their upcoming games.
Indian Super League group Bengaluru FC was instructed to leave the Maldives on Sunday by the nation’s Sports Minister after certain players violated COVID-19 conventions.
Maldives Minister of Youth, Sports, and Community Empowerment Ahmed Mahloof took to Twitter to reprimand the Indian side to leave the country for breaking rules set by the Health Protection Agency before their match on May 11.
In his tweet he wrote, “Unacceptable behavior from @bengalurufc breaching the strict guidelines from HPA,” Mahloof said. “The club should leave immediately as we can’t entertain this act.
https://twitter.com/AhmedMahloof/status/1391115943669944321?s=20
“We have told Football Association of Maldives that we can’t hold the match, and requested that they make courses of action for @bengalurufc’s transportation back to India. We will be in additional correspondence with AFC… to defer the group stage.”
The AFC later affirmed that all AFC Cup south zone group stage matches in the Maldives had been deferred.