Senegal latest team hit by virus days ahead of African Cup

By BABACAR DIONE and GERALD IMRAY
Associated Press

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Senegal’s national soccer team has been forced to delay its flight to the African Cup of Nations in Cameroon after three more players and six members of the backroom staff tested positive for the coronavirus. The Senegalese soccer federation named the players as Pape Sarr, Nampalys Mendy and Mame Thiam. They tested positive on Tuesday before the squad was scheduled to leave Dakar. Senegal already had at least two other players who had tested positive and numerous other teams have had to deal with cases. It underlines fears that the pandemic and the omicron variant will cause chaos in the buildup and at the African Cup. The tournament starts on Sunday.