Numerous players, FC Dallas leave the MLS bubble as MiB tournament kicks off Wednesday
All 26 Major League Soccer’s teams have arrived in the league’s bubble at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort. However, on July 6 that number became 25 as FC Dallas withdrew from the MLS is Back tournament following 11 positive COVID-19 test results within the club.
When the team entered the bubble on June 27, they had no reported positive test results. But that quickly changed in the days that followed and Dallas’ players ended up accounting for 10 of 13 known cases while teams had been in Orlando. A member of their coaching staff was also confirmed positive for the coronavirus.
The team issued the following statement on Monday night:
In addition to the tweet, Dallas head coach Luchi Gonzalez told ESPN that “the priority is getting guys healthy, feeling safe, so that we can be strong in the long term, which I know we’re going to accomplish.” Their first game against the Vancouver Whitecaps, set to take place on July 9, was postponed due to the team’s inability to train and health status.
The Whitecaps announced that four players will not be participating in the tournament. Freddy Montero, Tosaint Ricketts, Andy Rose, and Lucas Cavallini have left the bubble and are not on the Whitecaps’ updated 23-man roster.
Montero, Cavallini, and Rose departed the bubble for strictly family purposes. Ricketts announced via social media that he had no choice other than to leave due to a “pre-existing condition.” No members of the Whitecaps organization had been tested positive for the coronavirus.
The Whitecaps now face a number of uncertainties regarding the status of their game schedule with just two other teams remaining in their group. Vancouver was drawn into Group B alongside the Sounders and the Earthquakes, in addition to FC Dallas.
The league explored Nashville SC, currently in the six-team Group A, replacing Dallas in Group B. Nashville began the season in the Western Conference but moved to the East ahead of the tournament’s draw.
However, five Nashville players tested positive for the coronavirus and four tests were inconclusive and must undergo further testing. The team hasn’t trained since last Tuesday and has been quarantined. The league postponed the club’s opening match on July 8 against the Fire as a result.
The July 10 matchup between Toronto FC and DC United was also postponed due to Toronto’s late arrival. The match is now scheduled for Sunday morning.
Aside from the four Whitecaps, three more players have opted out of the tournament. Salt Lake’s Nedum Onuoha, Inter Miami’s Robbie Robinson, and LAFC’s Carlos Vela all withdrew on Monday.
The tournament is set to begin Wednesday night despite things seemingly heading in the wrong direction. However, MLS Commissioner Don Garber is still confident in the effectiveness of the tournament’s health protocol. “If there is a situation at any time that I believe that the protocols aren’t working, and the health and safety of our players is at risk, then I will make the decision to shut down the tournament,” Garber told The Associated Press. “That is something I committed to the players and to our entire league early on. But this is proving that our protocols worked and our plan so far has been sound.”
The opening match is slated for Wednesday at 8 p.m ET between Florida rivals Orlando City and Inter Miami. The game will be nationally televised on ESPN.
