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Updated April 5th, 2021 at 18:56 IST

IPL 2021 further hit with coronavirus, 14 broadcast bio-bubble members test positive

The IPL 2021 may be in a spot of bother with a new batch of COVID-positive reports being associated with the tournament in Mumbai on Monday.

Reported by: Sharmistha More
IPL 2021
IPL 2021 | Image:self
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The IPL 2021 may be in a spot of bother, with a new batch of COVID-positive reports being associated with the tournament in Mumbai on Monday. Despite at least three players, multiple groundsmen from the Wankhede Stadium and a number of event managers for the tournament testing positive for the virus, Sourav Ganguly and the BCCI have remained adamant about hosting the IPL in Maharashtra. With the Maharashtra lockdown being announced by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackrey earlier this month, and the Mumbai coronavirus cases touching 11,206 cases on Sunday, the situation in the state seems to be deteriorating quickly.

IPL schedule likely to be thrown off after Star Sports crew bio-bubble breached

Despite taking strict measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus through its many teams, the BCCI will now have to contend with a huge chunk of their Star Sports broadcast crew potentially testing positive for the virus in Mumbai. According to a report, 14 staff members of the Four Seasons Hotel, who were a part of the Star Sports Crew's bio-bubble, have tested positive for the coronavirus. While it is too soon to say whether any of the crew members themselves have been infected, it is known that the staff members came into context with cameramen, producers, directors, EVS operators and video editors from Star Sports.

According to a report by InsideSport, Star Sports Head Sanjog Gupta did not shed any light on the matter, saying: “Please check with the BCCI…we don’t manage the Four Seasons bubble". However, an unnamed source from the channel made a statement saying: “Star is concerned about their broadcast crew. If the ground-staff and event management team is getting Covid-19 infected – the same can happen to Star’s crew. They have to closely mingle around with both ground-staff as well as the event team. That is the reason Star is very concerned about the situation”, according to InsideSport.

IPL 2021: Maharastra lockdown has no effect on IPL schedule as of now

According to the BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly, the increasing rate of COVID-19 infections in Mumbai is not of great concern to the board. “Once you are in a bubble nothing happens. Even in the UAE last season, there were a few such incidents in the lead-up to the event but once the tournament started everything was fine," Ganguly stated. “We have got the necessary permission and assurances from the state government to conduct matches there [in Mumbai]," he added. Ganguly further added: "Mumbai will be hosting ten matches this season, between April 10 to 25... We are in a well-secured set-up and the players and support staff will be safe”. 

Image Credits: IPL website

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Published April 5th, 2021 at 18:56 IST

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