Rugby-Japan's Top League clash called off over 22 COVID-19 cases-Kyodo
01/05/2021 09:23
May 1 (Reuters) - A Japan Top League playoff quarter-final
fixture between Ricoh Black Rams and Suntory Sungoliath
scheduled for May 9 has been cancelled after 22 players from
Ricoh tested positive for COVID-19, Kyodo news agency reported.
Ricoh reported nine cases on Wednesday, followed by another
13 on Friday, and the Japan Rugby Football Union (JRFU) decided
on Saturday to scrap the game at Showa Denko Dome Oita as the
team cannot register the required 23 players. Kyodo reported.
Suntory will advance to the May 16 semi-final if they can
register 23 players.
Japan last month declared "short and powerful" states of
emergency for Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto and Hyogo as the country
struggles to contain a resurgent coronavirus pandemic.
The country hosts the Olympic Games from July 23-Aug. 8.
(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Alex
Richardson)
((Shrivathsa.Sridhar@thomsonreuters.com;))