‘Irresponsible when life itself is at stake’: Spanish FA boss slams idea of coronavirus testing for footballers
Spanish Football Federation chief Luis Rubiales has hit out at the idea of testing football players for coronavirus, branding the decision “unpatriotic” when he says there are more vulnerable people with who need the tests.
La Liga head Javier Tebas has requested that all 42 teams in Spain's top two divisions be tested, sparking an angry reaction from rival official Rubiales – who said that people with severe symptoms should be prioritized.
“I think it is irresponsible when there are patients with much more at stake than a competition, with life itself at stake,” Rubiales said.
“It is not appropriate to be using tests [at clubs] when there are people who need tests. It fails to see reality.”
The Spanish Football Federation boss underlined that those sending tests to football clubs “lack solidarity” when local hospitals “are running out.”
Also on rt.com Roman Abramovich to cover cost of opening Chelsea stadium hotel for hospital staff battling COVID19“The authorities have said this: ‘If anyone has a test, masks, gloves, hand them over.’ Hospitals are running out. There’s someone sending tests to clubs: that’s a lack of solidarity, it could even be illegal. [Tebas] should be ashamed. We don’t want that, and it’s anti-patriotic.”
Spain has become one of the countries hit hardest by the deadly Covid-19 virus, with almost 14,000 cases officially registered in the region.
A number of high-profile footballers have also been infected by the disease.
