Eight of the 10 European-based Reggae Boyz footballers had their negative test certificates

The Japan Football Association (JFA) has cancelled Thursday’s international friendly match between the country’s Samurai Blue footballers and Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz.

The cancellation comes after half of Jamaica’s national team was unable to travel to Japan to play their match. JFA President, Kozo Tashima has reported that eight of Jamaica’s 10 Europe-based national players were prevented from boarding their scheduled Sunday flight at Amsterdam’s Schiphol International Airport after their negative test certificates were rejected by their airline.

Two players whose tests were approved stayed with their teammates. Speaking at a news conference earlier today (June 1) Tashima told journalists, “We (JFA) decided it would not be appropriate to hold the Kirin Challenge Cup with one team only having 10 players.”

Some tests done were not in compliance with Japan’s requirement

Earlier reports stated that several players had been tested using swabs on their mouths and nostrils. Japan requires inbound passengers to submit results from tests conducted using nasal swabs or saliva. The second group of 10 players and team staffers departing from the United States were able to fly to Japan after all took PCR tests at the same location under guidelines issued by the JFA.

The JFA President was unable to confirm whether or not the Jamaica Football Federation had followed the JFA’s guidelines with its Europe-based players. Under regulations established between the JFA and the Japanese government, players participating in international fixtures is allowed to forgo the two-week quarantine period required for most arrivals in Japan.

This is predicated on the fact that individuals test negative for COVID-19 before their flights as well as on each of the three days after they land, including the day of their first match. The Reggae Boyz would have had to land in Japan by Monday night in order to be tested on today, Wednesday and Thursday.

Tashima told the news conference that the JFA had considered arranging a charter flight before deciding to call off the match, saying the association wanted to respect the government’s regulations declaring, “we will work to ensure this doesn’t happen again.” The JFA has enacted strict protocols even within the Japan squad, with the team’s Europe-based contingent segregated from local players off the pitch.

Samurai Blue would instead face Japan’s under-24 men’s team

Shortly after its initial announcement, the JFA announced that the Samurai Blue would instead face Japan’s under-24 men’s team. The Reggae Boyz, whose last visit to Japan ended in a narrow 1-0 defeat in Niigata on October 10, 2014, are also scheduled to face Japan U-24 in a friendly on June 12 at Toyota Stadium in Aichi Prefecture.

Tashima explained that Jamaica’s Europe-based players would return to London and be tested again in order to board another flight to Japan and participate in that match.