Cricket West Indies investigates players' breach of COVID-19 protocols in New Zealand

Wed, Nov 11, '20

This morning, Cricket West Indies (CWI) was informed that some members of our New Zealand touring party had contravened the strict COVID-19 protocols within the team’s Managed Isolation Facility in Christchurch.

The New Zealand Ministry of Health has advised us that all members of the West Indies touring party will now be unable to train for the remainder of the quarantine period and will have to complete their quarantine within the Managed Isolation Facility only. CWI is in full support of the New Zealand Ministry of Health’s position.

From the information we have received so far, we have been told that the incidents in question included some players compromising the bubble integrity by mixing between two separate West Indies bubbles into which the touring party had been split, by sharing food and socializing in hallways.  There is no evidence, or suggestion, that any members of the touring party left the facility, or that any unauthorized persons accessed it.

Ahead of the tour to New Zealand, the West Indies touring party all returned two negative COVID-19 tests before leaving the Caribbean and underwent two further tests since they have been in New Zealand. All results were negative.

The players underwent their final scheduled tests this morning and, results permitting, are scheduled to leave the Managed Isolation Facility on Friday to travel to Queenstown ahead of two warm-up matches against New Zealand “A”.

CWI has already begun an internal investigation into the reported incidents.