QUITO | In times of a pandemic, everything is no longer allowed: Argentinian Sergio Lopez, professional soccer player in Ecuador, was fined on Monday with a fine of US $ 1,200 ($ 1,600) for kissing the ball during a match.
After his team Aucas’ victory against Macara (1-0) on Friday, Sergio Lopez is the first player to receive a fine for this sanction, put in place by the Ecuadorian soccer league to fight against the spread of COVID-19.
On this day of the first division championship, which had been stopped for five months because of the pandemic, five other players were fined US $ 1,200 for having exchanged their shirts, another act now prohibited.
In addition, teams were also sanctioned for non-compliance with sanitary measures: Liga de Portoviejo for not having provided a first aid kit, and Barcelona SC for not providing alcohol or gel for disinfection. hands.
Ecuador has nearly 6,600 deaths from the new coronavirus for some 114,000 cases recorded. Authorities are also reporting around 3,700 additional deaths likely from the virus.