The national champion broke off the training camp in Portugal on Wednesday due to some corona infections in the company of more than sixty people. Ajax does not want to say who they are. Those who tested positive did not remain in quarantine in the Algarve, but went back to the Netherlands separately from the rest of the group.
“The group flew back on a charter on Wednesday evening, with the exception of those few with a positive test. Because of their positive result, they returned home in a different way,” said an Ajax spokesperson. It is said that this happened with a private jet. Ajax thus acted in violation of the rules, which prescribe that someone who tests positive must also immediately be quarantined abroad.
“Everyone has to follow the rules that a country sets,” said De Jonge. “Athletes are not exempt from laws and regulations, they are not above the law. That just means if you’re infected, you should quarantine and not fly. Such are the rules. Ajax has been held accountable for that.”
The Amsterdam club does not want to respond substantively to the minister’s criticism and will stick to the short statement it distributed after the training camp was broken down. It states that some corona tests taken in the hotel yielded a positive result. Before leaving for Portugal, the entire group had a negative test certificate. Everyone in Amsterdam was tested again on Friday.
NEC and Vitesse decided on Thursday to break down their training camp in Spain and Portugal respectively. Vitesse did this because the daily test round had yielded some positive results. The Arnhem selection flew back to the Netherlands without the infected persons. “The few positive cases remain in Portugal for the time being and are subjected to PCR tests there. We hope they can return as soon as possible,” said a Vitesse spokesperson.
PSV and Feyenoord were supposed to go to Spain this week for a training camp, but the numbers 1 and 3 of the Eredivisie decided to cancel the trip completely after a few positive test results. Only AZ currently resides abroad (Valencia).
KNVB football association is not involved in the discussion about the violation of the corona rules by Ajax. According to a spokesperson, it is not up to the KNVB to make a judgment about this.