Indian Football team begins training in Doha after all players test negative for COVID-19

Sunil Chhetri

28 members Indian men’s football team squad who have reached  Doha for playing 2022 World Cup Qualifiers under the guidance of Coach Igor Stimac have started their training after all of them have been tested negative for COVID-19.

The news about players testing negative and they have started training is shared by Kushal Das who is currently serving as the secretary of All India Football Federation.

“Yes, all the 28 players and support staff tested negative in the tests done after their arrival,” All India Football Federation General Secretary Kushal Das told PTI.

The team will gather much confidence after the return of regular skipper Sunil Chhetri.  Blue Tigers will start their campaign against host Qatar on June 3rd 2021 followed by two matches against Bangladesh and Afghanistan on June 7th and 15th 2021 respectively.

Through the Qatar Football Association, a 10-day hard quarantine was waived off for the Indians and they began training as soon as they got the COVID-19 negative results.

“Gearing-up for the challenges ahead. The #BlueTigers had their training first training session in Doha, Qatar last night,” the AIFF said in a tweet, along with pictures of training of players under head coach Igor Stimac.

Ahead of traveling to Doha, Men in Blue were supposed to join National Camp in Kolkata from May 2 onwards but the ongoing pandemic in the country has led to the cancellation of that camp.