Bangladesh football team must undergo individual Covid-19 test on their own before joining the national camp, scheduled to begin on August 7 this year in Gazipur’s Sarah Resort, ahead of their World Cup 2022 and Asian Cup 2023 joint qualifiers.
Upon clearance, the footballers who will be called up to the camp must undergo a second round of testing at Sarah Resort, which will be carried out by the medical committee of the Bangladesh Football Federation.
This was revealed Thursday following a virtual meeting of the national team committee.
The men in red and green will take on Afghanistan at home in their Group E clash on October 8, followed by clashes against Qatar on October 13, India on November 12 and Oman on November 17.
BFF vice president Kazi Nabil Ahmed said they will oversee a rigorous process of testing, keeping the Covid-19 pandemic situation and the footballers’ health in mind.
He added, “Before joining the camp, the players must undergo individual testing on their own from somewhere reliable. They will be tested again at the camp by the medical committee of the BFF.”
In the initial stages, the booters will be divided into groups, each containing four or five members.
Each group will train for 14 days in accordance with the coach’s instructions.
Nabil said, “The players will be separated into small groups. In the following weeks, four to five members will be in the group. The foreign coaches will be in charge. After 14 days, if it is observed that they have no health risks, then they can join the others and train together.”
The BFF high-up informed that the foreign coaching staff too will be kept under isolation.
He said, “The foreign coaches will be here soon. They also have to take Covid-19 tests. If needed, they will be in isolation. We have to see if they have any health risks. The federation will take care of everything at Sarah Resort.”
Replying to a query as to whether Jamal Bhuiyan and Co will get to play any practice matches before the joint qualifiers, Nabil said, “It will be decided around that time. If we can go abroad and play, or whether any team can come here, because going abroad means a case of isolation. What will happen, can be ascertained at that time. We can take a decision then.”