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HOME IN SCOTLAND: Mohamed Elyounoussi and Kristoffer Ajer did not want to share their views on the scandal between the NFF and the health authorities last week. Photo: Hallgeir Vågenes
GARDERMOEN (VG) On Sunday, a quarantined national team travels out of Norway. The journey goes from Gardermoen and home to the club teams of Europe. The players declined to comment on the noise from last week.
It’s a seemingly normal day at Gardermoen. Staff help travelers through security locks, some in transit, others on their way home from a weekend in “red” Oslo.
Among the travelers there are also several players of national teams in quarantine. Just a day ago, they had to hand over the airport gate. They were not allowed to travel to Romania by private plane. They will now board each of their scheduled flights back to their respective clubs.
At 3:40 p.m. Celtic duo Mohamed Elyounoussi and Kristoffer Ajer arrived at the airport. They, like the rest of their colleagues, have been told not to speak to the press about the events of last week. The chaos ended abrupt fronts between the Norwegian health authorities and the NFF, but “Moi” confirms that they are behind the press release sent by the captain’s team on Saturday, where the players of the national team expressed great disappointment at the decision of cancel the Romania match.
The Celtic players will now be quarantined in Scotland, and they are not sure if they will be allowed to play the club’s game next Saturday.
ON A TRIP: Lars Lagerbäck at Gardermoen on Sunday. The Swede travels home without having led Norway in a match in this national team meeting. Photo: Hallgeir Vågenes
The first VG observed was the national team manager Lars Lagerbäck. The Swede calmly passed just before kl. 11 inadvertently commenting on the canceled international match against Romania.
Soon after, AZ player Fredrik Midtsjø strolled through the arrivals hall. He also didn’t want to speak to VG before leaving for Holland, probably on the 12:40 flight to Amsterdam.
DIDN’T WANT TO TALK: Fredrik Midtsjø in Gardermoen. Photo: Hallgeir Vågenes
Four hours after Lagerbäck and Midtsjø, Simen Juklerød and Sigurd Rosted check in together at counter two in Gardermoen. After a week full of media coverage, it is clear that players have been told to say as little as possible.
– Unfortunately we can’t, the duo respond to the request for a comment, before they disappear through the security check.
DUO: Juklerød and Rosted on the way home. They play in Antwerp and Brøndby respectively. Photo: Hallgeir Vågenes
Infection control doctor Tore Steen confirms to VG that it is he who has made the decision to let the players go home on Sunday. This is also in line with the regulations covid-19 §5e second paragraph which states the following:
“Persons in quarantine for infection may exceptionally use public transport to reach a suitable quarantine site after a special assessment by the municipal doctor.”
Infection control physician Frode Hagen elaborates:
– The director of infection control has considered a specific request for a return trip for quarantined players, based on an individual assessment of each individual player from the national team doctor at NFF. This request was granted in accordance with the exemption provision in the covid-19 regulations.
The condition to be able to travel home to be quarantined is that they have no symptoms, that they wear masks in public transport and go directly to quarantine when they get home, he tells VG.
This means that the entire national team team, with the exception of Omar Elabdellaoui, who was put into isolation earlier this week after a proven corona infection, can legally return home. The remaining players have tested negative for corona multiple times.
Norwegian crown regulations do not allow players to be sent out of the country to go to work, that is, to play football. The national team must continue the quarantine at their place of residence.
– The entire group of players is deeply desperate because the Norwegian authorities refuse us to travel to the two decisive matches of the Nations League against Romania and Austria, the captain team, consisting of Stefan Johansen, Martin Ødegaard and Joshua KIng, said yesterday in a press release yesterday.
It has been a chaotic week for the Norwegian team. Even before the international game against Israel, critics claimed that soccer should be played in the midst of a pandemic. Proven infection in the Israeli troops threw gasoline on the fire.
The fight against Israel was called off and Elabdellaoui was later diagnosed with a crown. A meeting of the national team consisting of three games, now ends without games for the original team.
There is still uncertainty about the Nations League match against Austria next Wednesday. NFF has confirmed that they are working with a possible national emergency team. The team will be made up of Norwegian players who have their daily lives in foreign clubs.
