How Covid-19 was weaponised in the African sports scene

“Five players from team x have tested positive for Covid-19 and will miss tomorrow’s clash” hogged the headlines more often than not this year as teams and nations mastered the art of using the virus as a weapon to deliberately incapacitate their opponents. 

The unorthodox tactics were mastered in all sports with football setting the bar high especially in CAF continental club and national team games were players conspicuously returned positive results.

Even more surprising with the pattern of positive Covid-19 cases was that only star players tested positive with fringe players appearing to have an enviable immunity that could withstand the various variants thrown at them. 

Despite close to two years into the pandemic, the vice shows no signs of slowing down and heading into the 2021-2022 CAF Confederations Cup and Champions League we should brace ourselves more for such disgraceful headlines. 

The article does not however dispute the positive Covid-19 results recorded but the similar pattern raises more questions than answers. 

Here are some of the major incidences of teams using Covid-19 as a weapon:

Harambee Stars

Not even our very own national team was spared the theatrics when Harambee Stars travelled to Lomé, Togo for the dead-rubber 2020 African Cup of Nations qualifier. 

Egypt and Comoros had already sealed qualification in Group G while Kenya and Togo were hoping to salvage some pride after their botched qualification campaign.

It was reported that Al-Duhail striker Michael Olunga, Simba SC defender Joash Onyango, Zesco United goalkeeper Ian Otieno, and Sofapaka midfielder Lawrence Juma had tested positive and were subsequently ruled out of the match. 

Harambee Stars under the tutelage of Jacob Ghost Mulee however showed their mettle as the line up which was mostly comprised of local-based players rose to the occasion to upset the fading African giants. 

The game also wrote itself to the history books as Kenya broke its close 19-year wait for an away win in the African Cup of Nations thanks to goals from Abdallah Hassan and Masud Juma.

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Gor Mahia

Record Kenyan champions also suffered the wrath of Covid-19 weaponisation in this calendar year when they travelled to Otohô, Congo (Brazzaville) to face AS Otôho d'Oyo in the CAF Confederations Cup Playoffs. 

Midfielder John Ochieng and Jules Ulimwengu failed to feature in the clash as their Covid-19 results failed to return on time before the kick-off of the match which meant that they take part as their results were allegedly inconclusive. 

This meant that the already depleted Gor Mahia squad who only travelled with 15 players suffered a massive blow as the players were expected to start.

K’Ogalo failed to make a single substitute in the clash despite skipper Harun Shakava suffering a late injury and he had to brave the pain and finish the clash which Gor Mahia lost by a solitary goal.

The reigning Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Cup champions ultimately suffered exit following a 1-1 draw at home as Otohô sailed to the group stages of the Confederations Cup.

Tanzania vs Madagascar

Neighbours Tanzania also suffered a similar fate at the hands of Madagascar when their hotel in Antananarivo was raided by the army with claims some of their players are Covid-19 positive.

The Tanzanian Football Federation (TFF) however, Tanzania have issued a statement saying the Madagascar army has surrounded their hotel, claiming some of their players are Covid-19 positive and should not be allowed to leave their rooms.

The news dominated the headlines before the 2022 Qatar FIFA World Cup qualifiers as the clips from the hotel looked like a script of a blockbuster movie. 

Benin vs Sierra Leone

One extreme case of the weaponisation of Covid-19 came into play in the Benin vs Sierra Leone clash when the match was abandoned with a place in the 2020 Africa Cup of Nations at stake.

Sierra Leone who were at home in the clash headed into the clash needing nothing but a win as they had four points while Benin just needed a draw having already amassed seven points. 

Eve-of-match tests cleared every player from both teams to play, but just before the kickoff Sierra Leone were informed that six reserves had tested positive and were barred.

Leone Stars claimed a slender 1-0 win to book a place in the finals of the AFCON for the first time since 1996.

URA vs Al Masry

As far as numbers go, Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) were perhaps one of the most affected sides in terms of personnel who tested positive for Covid-19 when they faced Egyptian outfit Al Masry in the CAF Confederation Cup.

URA’s chances were dealt a huge blow, moments to kick off after up to 13 players and officials including captain Shafik Kagimu tested positive for Covid-19 but they punched above their weight as they settled for a barren draw. 

The Ugandan side lost the return leg in Egypt 1-0 to crash out of the tournament with the case also peculiar as URA were one of the few home sides to have players testing positive for Covid-19.

Orlando Pirates vs Al Ahly Benghazi 

Not even a group stage clash in the CAF Confederation Cup was spared from the Covid-19 drama as Lybian side Al Ahly Benghazi had four players test positive hours into their clash against South African giants Orlando Pirates.

After losing the clash 3-0 Al Ahly Benghazi suspected foul play according to the statement they released as they reported Orlando Pirates to CAF.

“There have been negative results for our players and assistant coach after they were ‘infected’ two days ago. We recently conducted the coronavirus swabs for our infected players and the technical staff in Egypt. And the appearance of all samples is negative.”

Assistant coach Anis Al-Rubaie, a negative result of his analysis appeared in South Africa, before his departure to Tunisia. Al Ahly is surprised to [see] changes [in] all the infected from a positive to a negative [result] in just two days, which raises suspicion and doubts.

The club will file an urgent complaint to the CAF to investigate the facts accompanying the Orlando Pirates match in the fourth round of the Confederation Cup group,” read a statement from Benghazi back then. 

Malawi vs Uganda 

Uganda suffered heartbreaking AFCON and FIFA World Cup qualifiers after they were eliminated having come so close but the continental showpiece miss was more traumatic after defeat to Malawi when it mattered most.

The exit at the hands of the Flames was however marred in controversy as Federation of Uganda Football Association (FUFA) accused Malawi of tampering with the Covid-19 result of midfielder Taddeo Lwanga.

The situation forced FUFA to write to CAF asking them to consider the results from the SADC accredited laboratory which is all under the same management as Queens Central Hospital where Lwanga’s positive case was recorded. 

Simba vs Al Merrikh

Simba hit the headlines for having a number of players in the opposition teams testing positive for Covid-19 during the CAF Champions League with Al Merrikh being included in the list. 

Eight players; Abdelrahman Isaac, Bakhit Khamis, Ahmed Abdelmoneim, Tajeddin Yaqoub, Ramadan Ajab, Tony Edjomariegwe, Bakri Al Madina, and Saif Ad Damazin failed to play in the Simba clash after testing positive for Covid-19.

Despite Al Merrikh lodging a complaint to CAF, the African football governing body Caf dismissed the case against Simba SC regarding Covid-19 tests that were done.

Basketball Africa League (BAL)

Basketball was also not left behind and it happened in one of the biggest stages in the African continent as Burundi's New Star were locked out of the third-place playoff of the Basketball Africa League (BAL) Eastern Conference qualifiers.

Just before the third-place playoff against Cape Town Tigers was scheduled, six New Star players and their head coach are reported to have tested positive for Covid-19. The team protested the results and FIBA had to be involved.

FIBA however dismissed New Star’s complaint and wrote a letter, noting that they had considered the match a forfeiture and thus Tigers get the third ticket to BAL. New Star had won the group match encounter between the two sides 83-71.