SLC’s bursting ‘bio bubbles’ and Weerakkody’s fate
Sandun Weerakkody
Sri Lanka Cricket has sent workers in breach of strict Covid 19 protocols in place for the supplementary squad of players training at the R Premadasa Stadium, resulting in cricketer Sandun Weerakkody contracting the virus.
Weerakkody, who was called up for training by national selectors in one of the two backup squads, tested positive on July 10, two-days after two support staff of the national team that toured England tested positive for the Delta variant.
Since Weerakkody didn’t have any contact with the returnees from England, his positive test results were unexpected.
However, the Sunday Times understands that, even though no one was allowed into the ground without two negative Tests, SLC had sent 35 workers from Galle to the stadium without informing the medical staff responsible for maintaining the bio-secure bubble.
While players were training in a bubble, these workers had been roaming around, attending to various work at the stadium that will host the six-match limited over series against India starting today.
An official confirmed that a group of workers had attended to Weerakkody when he was lying down on the ground with a cramp on July 6th. Weerakkody went through a regular check-up on July 9th and it returned a positive test, forcing health authorities to investigate how Weerakkody contracted the virus. This is when the 35 workers who had been sent to the stadium without following the health protocols were tested. Of them two had recorded positive results. They were all sent home soon after. Weerakkody was kept under medical care and sadly misses a possible place in the limited-over series against India.