CAF issues new COVID rules as Senegal, Burkina Faso hit with Covid

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has issued new guidelines and rules after reports that teams have been hit with COVID-19.

The Teranga Lions of Senegal have reportedly been hit with COVID-19 with nine first-team players out of their Monday opener against Zimbabwe on Monday.

Chelsea goalie Edouard Mendy, Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly, Famara Diedhiou, Saliou Ciss, Bamba Dieng, Mame B Thiam, Pape M. Sarr, Nampalys Mendy and Alfred Gomis are out.

Also, 5 Burkina Faso have reportedly tested positive and will miss their opener against Cameroon on Sunday.

Hence, the reason CAF has come up with the rules guiding the competition in case of COVID-19 so that the tournament could be completed as scheduled.

Here are the rules:

1. 1f the result of the covid-19 PCR test of any player is positive, such player will not be authorized to go the stadium or participate in the applicable match.

2. A team will be required to play a match if they have a minimum of eleven (11) players available who have tested negative. In the event of the absence of a goalkeeper, another player from the team must replace the goalkeeper, provided the total number of available players is at least eleven.

3. A team that does not have a minimum of eleven (11) players available will be considered to have lost the match 0-2

4. In exceptional cases, the Organizing Committee of the Africa Cup of Nations will take the appropriate decision.