Russian soccer game off after 9 virus positives

Updated Jul. 16, 2020 10:56 a.m. ET

Associated Press

MOSCOW (AP) — A top-division Russian soccer game was called off on Thursday after nine people at FC Sochi tested positive for the virus.

The Russian Premier League said in a brief statement that Sochi’s game against Tambov will not take place as scheduled on Thursday and didn't mention any possibility of postponing it. The league didn't say how many of the nine were players.

The season resumed last month amid the coronavirus outbreak, but the virus has repeatedly disrupted the schedule. The league is scheduled to finish its season next Wednesday.

Sochi last month won a game 10-1 against FC Rostov after a virus outbreak forced Rostov to send a team of youth and academy players.

Another club, FC Orenburg, forfeited two games following an outbreak. It has since been relegated.

One other game was postponed last month after three virus cases among Dynamo Moscow players before a game against FC Krasnodar. That will be played on Sunday.

The league said on Tuesday that two cases of the coronavirus had been found at FC Ufa but the rest of the squad tested negative and could play as scheduled against Dynamo Moscow on Thursday.

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