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Members of the West Indies men’s cricket team have been denied coaching privileges after “repeatedly” breaking controlled isolation rules.
The team is isolated in two bubbles of 20 at the Chateau on the Park hotel on Deans Ave in Riccarton, Christchurch ahead of three Twenty20s and two test matches against the Black Caps. The opening of the T20 is in Auckland on November 27.
Dan Mullan
Some members of the West Indies men’s cricket team have been denied coaching privileges after breaking controlled isolation rules. (File photo)
Team members were caught on surveillance footage mingling in hallways and sharing food, as well as leaving their rooms outside of assigned hours, the Health Ministry said Wednesday.
“It is important to note that all the incidents occurred within the hotel facilities and there is no risk to the public,” he said.
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Cricket West Indies CEO Johnny Grave said in a Zoom call Wednesday that he was “extremely disappointed” with the gap and that it was a “huge blow” to the team’s training and preparation for the upcoming tour.
“We are disappointed and surprised that they have been disappointed and put the tour at risk.”
Joseph Johnson / Stuff
Chateau on the Park in Christchurch is a managed isolation facility.
Grave believed the gap was between the team’s two bubbles and involved about five players. He did not believe that the management of any team was involved.
He said the bubbles were being “strictly managed” and that they were not allowed to socialize or train together in a high-performance facility at the University of Lincoln.
Joseph Johnson / Stuff
Police outside the Chateau on the Park manned the isolation facility Wednesday.
Losing his exemption to train at New Zealand Cricket’s high-performance facilities for four days would affect his preparation for Black Caps matches, but Grave said it was an appropriate sanction.
“It is a serious blow to our preparation plans, especially for those players who did not participate in the Caribbean Premier League (in August-September) and therefore have not played competitive cricket at a professional level since the tour of England ended. of July.
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CEO Johnny Grave said the players in separate training bubbles appear to have socialized together.
“It’s a really significant blow to our preparation and I know that head coach Phil Simmons is particularly disappointed that some members of our touring group have really been disappointed.”
There was no evidence that any members had left the facility other than when they were allowed to train, Grave said. Also, no unauthorized person is believed to have entered the quarantine facility.
Players from the West Indies had experience dealing with strict quarantine rules having been involved in the first post-Covid-19 cricket tour when they traveled to England in June-July.
They had also been in the biosecurity bubble of the Caribbean Premier League T20 in Trinidad and Tobago.
Dan Mullan / Getty Images
West Indian cricketers celebrate a wicket during the third Test against England in July.
Grave said that a formal letter was sent to all members of the touring group and that an internal investigation was underway.
The team underwent testing on the 12th on Wednesday and results are expected on Thursday.
If all members test negative, they will leave administered isolation on Friday and head to Queenstown for two matches of the three-day tour against New Zealand A, beginning the following Friday.
On Friday, latecomers from the West Indies, who have competed in the Indian Premier League, and the IPL contingent of the Black Caps will enter the Chateau on the Park in separate bubbles.
The tour schedule is not expected to be affected by the violation.
“It is a privilege to come here but, in return, they have to stick to the rules. Keeping Covid-19 out of our communities and keeping our staff safe depends on it, ”said Chief Health Officer Dr. Ashley Bloomfield.
“They did not do that, despite agreeing to meet the waiver parameters.”
Joe Johnson / Stuff
The Chateau on the Park facility, where the West Indies team is isolated. (File photo)
A spokesperson for NZ Cricket said the organization learned that the West Indies team had violated protocols on Tuesday and supported the government’s position.
