IRISH AFL STAR and former Tyrone minor Conor McKenna has tested negative for Covid-19, days after an initial positive test.
AFL.com.au confirmed the Essedon player has been cleared of the virus, with a ‘low grade’ irregularity within his test last week blamed for its misleading result.
There is now confusion with regard to the self-isolation rules, after it was initially announced that team-mate James Stewart would also be forced to self-isolate.
Stewart was the only player deemed to have had close contact with McKenna, having been his wrestling partner during a drill in training.
Stewart was also re-tested in light of the new information, and the results came back negative, though he is still likely to undergo further testing.
McKenna, meanwhile, has undergone four tests in total in recent days, with just one of those positive.
Former AFL player Ray Connellan subsequently hit out at the situation, describing it as a “shambles”.
What a shambles! So a player has to put up with being abused by every footy fan in Aus, have the full force football media on his back for days, and it results in this!? How his name was released immediately when the tests clearly weren’t 100% is a joke.. https://t.co/aFTS6xufcV
— Ray Connellan (@ConnellanRay) June 23, 2020
“The club has said that James still has to be subjected to two more tests,” manager Peter Jess added on Stewart.
“But what I’m struggling with is if the science tells us that the guy is a negative and that somehow he’s recovered in 48 hours of being positive of the virus that this is some feat.
“James has tested negative, negative, negative right through the testing regime.”
McKenna was previously criticised for allegedly breaking quarantine restrictions, with Sydney radio host Ray Hadley suggesting he believed “the rules don’t apply to me”.
Absolutely shocking behaviour on how this situation was handled!! Surely some sort of confidentiality comes in to play. Not one thought was given to how the player might feel from having the entire football media and fans getting on his back! https://t.co/EO0LXBYHin
— Conor Glass (@Conor_Glass) June 23, 2020
