Portugal finds Omicron cases at football club

The variant is believed to have spread during a match over the weekend, which went ahead despite the team already being hit with Covid-19

Portugal has detected 13 cases of the new Omicron variant among players and staff of Lisbon-based Belenenses SAD football club, Qazet.az reports citing BBC.

The variant is believed to have spread during a match over the weekend, which went ahead despite the team already being hit with Covid-19.

Only nine Belenenses players began Saturday’s match against Benfica, with others isolating after a defender, Cafu Phete, tested positive after returning from South Africa.

When just seven Belenenses players began the second half, the match was abandoned. Benfica were leading 7-0.

Questions are now being asked as to why the game went ahead with the knowledge of the health risk it posed.

The presidents of both clubs have said they had to play, or risk being punished for “unjustified absence.” Portugal’s health authority said it did not have the responsibility to cancel a sports match.