"Four or five" West Indies players were judged to have broken isolation rules. Photo / Getty
"Four or five" West Indies players were judged to have broken isolation rules. Photo / Getty
West Indies Cricket CEO Johnny Grave has been left "bitterly disappointed" after several players from the West Indies men's squad broke managed isolation rules at a Christchurch facility.
Several members of the team touring New Zealand – believed to be four or five players – were caught on CCTV sharing food and socialising in hallways at the Chateau on the Park hotel.
While there is no risk to the public as no member of the West Indian touring party left the isolation facility, the breach led to the Ministry of Health revoking the team's exemption to train while in isolation.
"The West Indies cricket team were given certain exemptions from the managed isolation rules which apply to everyone else. This included being able to be in larger bubbles and train in preparation for their international games," Director General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said.
"It is a privilege to come here but in return they have to stick to the rules."
The team now cannot train in their final three days in isolation, which Grave acknowledged is a "huge blow", but one that comes without argument.
"We're in full support of the actions taken by the New Zealand Ministry of Health that for the remaining quarantine period we'll be unable to train," Grave said.
"Four or five" West Indies players were judged to have broken isolation rules. Photo / Getty
West Indies Cricket are investigating the incident, and Grave believes the breach came from a mixing of the team's two training bubbles, with the team having been able to train in isolation since day four of their stay, and moving into two bubbles at a maximum of 20 people from day seven.
With the West Indies having successfully completed international cricket's first "bubble" tour when they visited England in July, Grave says the players should have known how to deal with the demands of isolation.
"My disappointment is mainly the fact that our players are the most experienced in the world in dealing with quarantine measures.
"Here - because of the fact that the New Zealand Government have done such a good job with Covid - the carrot was for players to go through a normal tour."
While understanding of the challenging living conditions for the players, Grave still expected better.
"I'm disappointed that they would let themselves down and the team down. And potentially put the tour at risk and the New Zealand public at risk.
"I am sympathetic, but at the same time I am bitterly disappointed."
The West Indies are still set to leave managed isolation on Friday, assuming their final Covid tests come back negative tomorrow, with the team scheduled to travel to Queenstown ahead of two warm-up matches against New Zealand A.
Their first international is set to be a Twenty20 at Eden Park on November 27, with the team scheduled to take on the Black Caps in two Twenty20s and three test matches.
