STL Champions Cup: 74 players, officials COVID-19 free

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 28  -- All 74 players, team officials and referees who will return to participate in the Sepak Takraw League (STL) Champions Cup in Iskandar Puteri, Johor beginning this Tuesday have been confirmed to be free of COVID-19.

Malaysian Sepak Takraw Association president Datuk Seri Ahmad Ismail made the announcement after the governing body received the COVID-19 swab test results today.

“When they arrive, they need to follow the quarantine-based method which we will implement,” he said at a media conference at the association headquarters here today.

He said all teams and event officials are scheduled to arrive at the tournament venue tomorrow at the latest and will be isolated until the last match on March 5 in accordance to the sports bubble model’s standard operating procedure (SOP).

The association was forced to postpone the STL Champions Cup which was scheduled to take place from Jan 10 to 16 following the announcement of the Movement Control Order (MCO) by the government starting from Jan 13.

Meanwhile, Ahmad Ismail said there were changes to the format of the tournament with the addition of three matches, bringing the total remaining matches to 16, in addition to the quota of winners being expanded to include the fifth and sixth place winners.

The STL Champions Cup involves six of the best STL Premier Division teams this season, Kuala Lumpur Thunders, ATM Guardians, Johor Tigris, Negeri Sembilan Antlers, Kelantan Warriors and Penang Black Panthers, as well as the top two STL Division One teams, Bomba Fighters and Putrajaya Cyborg.

Johor Tigris, who were third in the STL Premier Division this season, are the defending champions of the cup.

-- BERNAMA