Bafana Bafana midfielder Thibang Phete has been named by Belenenses SAD president Rui Pedro Soares as the possible source of the Covid-19 new Omicron variant outbreak at his Portuguese club.
Premeira Liga side Belenenses had to have their fixture abandoned against Benfica on Saturday after 13 players tested positive for the new Covid variant.
The side was initially forced to start the match with nine players but was then abandoned in the second half after three players were injured and Belenenses only had six players on the pitch.
So far in Portugal there are only 13 cases of the Omicron variant in the country but they all happen to be with Belenenses’ players.
It has been confirmed by a Belenenses spokesperson that 44 players and staff are self-isolating but all only had mild symptoms if any.
Club president Rui Pedro Soares said in a club statement that the source of the outbreak appears to be with Phete, who had tested positive when returning from international duty with Bafana on 25 November.
“In the middle of the afternoon we communicated to the Liga that we didn’t want to play the game,” Soares said.
“We had eight players who could attend the game and as such, they told us that if we didn’t attend the game it would be unjustified absence.
“Playing here today was a shame for all of us.
“We did not like to enter the pitch under these conditions. “Benfica was forced to do it like Belenenses. I regret what happened today, a dark chapter for Portuguese football and for the country itself.”
