Uncertainty surrounds soccer fans and professionals in Colombia. That, since the members of the eight groups of South American clubs met that will enter to dispute the title of the Copa Libertadores de América, starting next Wednesday, February 21.

Although these groups were defined on April 9, the country’s health authorities have not yet defined whether or not they will allow Brazilian teams to enter the national territory.

It should not be forgotten that of the four squads that represent Colombia in the tournament, three with the exception of Atlético Nacional will have to hold round-trip matches with teams from that country.

It’s about Independent Santa Fe, who will have to face Fluminense, from Rio de Janeiro, on April 28 in Bogotá; Junior, who is in Barranquilla with the same team May 6; Y America that will do the same in Cali against Atlético Mineiro, from Belo Horizonte, on the 13th of that same month.

In the same way, permits that Colombian clubs will need from the national government to travel to Brazil and face their rivals on April 12, May 18 and April 27 respectively.

A similar case can be presented at the level of the South American Cup for the Deportes Tolima, who must face Bragantino in Colombia from the city of Bragança Paulista on May 25; and the La Equidad Sports Club which receives the Porto Alegre Guild in Bogotá on the 27th of that same month.

And even for the Colombia team, which is supposed to wait for the Brazilian national team in Barranquilla on a date to be defined this year to play the qualifying rounds for the Qatar 2022 World Cup.

The reason is nothing more than the fact that the borders between the two countries are closed, Therefore, its air connections and the entry of citizens of that nation to Colombia are completely suspended by order of the Ministry of Health and Social Protection, which imposed an epidemiological fence to prevent the Brazilian strain of covid-19 from entering the national territory, as it is considered much more contagious than those circulating nationwide.

The measure, which came into effect on January 29, has already caused a stir in Colombia, as it also includes the Amazon, which has a direct border with Brazil. This left trapped, for just over two months, both tourists in Leticia, capital of that department, and residents of the same who were traveling in different cities of the country, which in turn, forced the health portfolio to schedule humanitarian flights.

However, said entity has not ruled on the lifting of the preventive measure, much less on the authorizations that it must issue so that these football matches can take place on the scheduled dates.

The fate of the same, reports the newspaper El Espectador, will be decided next Monday, April 19 by the head of that Ministry, Fernando Ruiz.

All he has said so far is that “in Copa Libertadores we have had some progress. We have just left a meeting with Minister Lucena; with Conmebol, with its president Domínguez and with the president of the FCF Ramón Jesurún. We analyze the situation of the Copa Libertadores and on Monday we will have a meeting of the highest level in which the situation will be defined and we will communicate to the country at the end of the afternoon ”.

If authorization is not given, all squads with pending commitments they will have to look for alternate venues in other countries to dispute the matches, added the Colombian newspaper.

Categorized in:

Sports