Covid strikes BCCI: The third wave of Covid-19 has swept across Maharashtra with Mumbai reporting over 20,000 cases alone in a day. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) too has been swept in the wave with three staffers testing positive in the headquarter in Mumbai. Follow InsideSport.IN for more updates.
The Cricket Centre in the premises of Wankhede Stadium also shares office with Mumbai Cricket Association. The MCA office has been shut down for three days with many self-isolating at home. As many as 15 staffers have tested positive, forcing the shutters down on the state association office.
Covid strikes BCCI: 3 BCCI staffers test Covid positive, MCA office in Wankhede premises shut down for 3 days
While it was earlier reported that BCCI headquarter was also shut down, a BCCI official later clarified to PTI that it isn’t the case. Instead, BCCI is operating with minimum staff at the office while the others are working from home
“Yes, there have been a few positive cases as COVID19 cases are rising in Mumbai. 90 per cent of the staff are working from home, while a minimal staff is working from the Board office. The office is open though, we haven’t shut it,” A BCCI official told PTI.
Covid strikes BCCI: 3 BCCI staffers test Covid positive, MCA office in Wankhede premises shut down for 3 days
One of the three BCCI staffers who have tested positive is from the cricket operations department while the other two are from the finance department. For MCA, secretary Sanjay Naik informed the apex council of the outbreak and the decision to close down the MCA office.
“The staff members have tested positive for COVID-19, following which we have closed the office for three days from today,” an MCA source told PTI.
It comes days after BCCI was forced to postpone Ranji Trophy and other domestic tournaments indefinitely. One of the Ranji centres, the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) has also seen rampant Covid cases with BCCI President Sourav Ganguly hospitalised after testing positive. Apart from Ganguly, his uncle Debasish Ganguly, who is the treasurer of CAB, also tested positive.
Covid strikes BCCI: 3 BCCI staffers test Covid positive, MCA office in Wankhede premises shut down for 3 days
“The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Tuesday announced the postponement of the Ranji Trophy, Col C K Nayudu Trophy & Senior Women’s T20 League for the 2021-22 season in the wake of the rising COVID-19 cases in the country,” the BCCI said in a statement.
“BCCI does not want to compromise the safety of the players, support staff, match officials and other participants involved and hence, has decided to put the three tournaments on hold till further notice. The BCCI will continue to assess the situation and take a call on the start of the tournaments accordingly,” it added.
Covid strikes BCCI: 3 BCCI staffers test Covid positive, MCA office in Wankhede premises shut down for 3 days