Brazil x Argentina: Anvisa displays the complete chronology of the Agency's actions

Timeline gives details about the inspection actions that triggered the infraction notice of the visiting soccer team players.

Publicado em 09/09/2021 13h47

With the mission of providing, with absolute transparency, all the information about Anvisa´s work to protect the health of the Brazilian population thorough health control actions, the Agency publishes the complete chronology of the facts that brought about the noticing of athletes who would participate in the match between Brazil and Argentina for the 2022 World Cup qualifiers, last Sunday, 05/09/2021.

In the timeline displayed below, the facts beginning on September 1st are described in detail, when four players of the Argentine soccer team filled in the mandatory electronic documents for entering Brazil. The facts ended on September 5^th, with the infraction notice of the athletes at the Guarulhos airport (State of Sao Paulo).

The Agency also provides the documents related to the actions taken, with the exclusion of any sensitive personal information*.

01/09 - Wednesday
From 9:26 to 11:16 p.m	Electronic submission of the Travelers' Health Declaration (DSV) regarding the 4 Argentine travelers: Emiliano Buendia, Damian Emiliano Martinez, Giovani Lo Celso and Cristian Gabriel Romero;
03/09 - Friday
8:10 a.m	Arrival of Flight 1975 – Aerolíneas Argentinas;
8:00 p.m	Anvisa analyzes the information (rumors) that 4 players of the Argentina soccer team were failing to comply with Ordinance 655/21, since they had been in the United Kingdom in the last 14 days before their arrival in Brazil;
9:00 p.m	Anvisa's regional coordination in São Paulo was reported about the rumors and the possibility of false information had been given by the four players;
11:20 p.m	Anvisa notifies CIEVS about the alleged false information, and informs that the DSV of the 4 players did not inform the “travel history” and that they were filled in by a single person from the AFA. Anvisa calls for an investigation of the case.
11:33 p.m	The national CIEVS informs the São Paulo CIEVS about the alleged non-compliance with Ordinance 655/21;
04/09 – Saturday (one day before the match)
10:00 a.m	An epidemiological investigation report by the São Paulo State Department of Health showed that the four Argentine players entered the country without providing truthful information about their country of origin. The leader of the Argentine national soccer team, and the members of Conmebol, as well as CBF were informed about the fact, at a meeting with epidemiological surveillance officials, the São Paulo State Disease Control Coordination and CBF. Therefore, they were counseled that the 4 players should remain in their rooms, not being able to take part in the training, which had been scheduled for 6:30 p.m. The four players should undergo the recommended quarantine period, until further orientation would be given by the health authority;
5:00 p.m	Anvisa confirms that false information had been given in the electronic form. So the Agency held a meeting with representatives of the Ministry of Health, the Epidemiological and Sanitary Surveillance, the Coordination of Disease Control of the São Paulo State Department of Health, as well as representatives of CONMEBOL, CBF and the Argentine Delegation. In the meeting Anvisa received conclusive information that the São Paulo Health Department had determined the quarantine of the 4 players, which had happened that same day in the morning and that the information provided in the DSV was untrue. Besides that, the state health surveillance officials requested the representative of the Argentine team that the four players should show their passports. However that was not possible, since the Argentine team had not followed the instructions of keeping the four players in the hotel.
8:15 p.m	São Paulo CIEVS sends to Nacional CIEVS the epidemiological investigation report, which concludes that the municipal health surveillance would proceed with the infraction notice of members of the Argentine delegation for non-compliance with the recommendation to stay in the hotel.
8:24 p.m	National CIEVS sends the investigation report to Anvisa and the Ministry of Health
05/09 – Sunday (Match day)
12:00 a.m (Midnight)	Anvisa reports CIEVS and the Ministry of Health that the investigations had shown non-compliance with the rules applicable to the entry of travelers, according to Ordinance 655/21, and that misinformation had been provided by the Argentine delegation. The Agency recommended again that the 4 athletes remained in quarantine at the hotel. Anvisa also informed that the incident was going to be reported to the Federal Police, for appropriate measures
12:50 a.m	The Ministry of Health issues a Technical Note, in which it points out the risk that Argentine citizens could be contaminated with SARS-Cov2 during the incubation period, which may contaminate other people, especially with the circulation of the Delta variant in the country of origin** ;
11:39 a.m	Anvisa informs the Federal Police about blatant non-compliance with Ordinance 655/21, considering that such non-compliance implies civil, administrative and criminal liability of the offender.
1:40 p.m	Anvisa received a phone call from the Federal Police informing that the players would be moving from the Marriott hotel (Guarulhos) to the Brazil-Argentine soccer match location ***.
2:20 p.m	Anvisa moves from Guarulhos airport towards the Neo Química arena, where the match between Brazil and Argentina would take place***.
3:00 p.m	Anvisa and the Federal Police arrive at the Neo Química arena to hand over the health infraction notices* to the 4 players. But there was obstruction in the delivery. The receipt of the notifications was refused by the Argentine team. The Federal Police witnessed the situation;
6:00 p.m	Anvisa and the Federal Police return to Guarulhos Airport since the Argentine delegation refused to receive the notifications;
6:30 p.m	Anvisa and the Federal Police arrive at Guarulhos Airport. The Federal Police officers who conducted the entire action signed the notifications as witnesses of the receipt refusal. A copy was delivered to the Federal Police for legal action, as stated in §7 of Article 7 of Ordinance 655/21.

* Sensitive personal data have been protected according to the Brazilian General Data Protection Law (Law 13.709/2018 - LGPD);

** The document was issued by the Ministry of Health.

*** The reports are formalized by means of due process in Anvisa's information system.

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