- 'Something was wrong', defendant in French mass rape tells court
- Hezbollah chief admits 'unprecedented' blow in device blasts
- Sales of US existing homes slip slightly in August
- Fear, panic haunt Lebanese after devices explode
- Labuschagne sparks Australia fightback in England ODI opener
- S.Africa's HIV research power couple says fight goes on
- Why is Israel focusing on border with Lebanon?
- Mpox vaccines administered in Rwanda, first in Africa
- US Fed rate cut is 'very positive sign' for economy: Yellen
- Unknown Mozart string trio discovered in Germany
- 'Are we five-year-olds?' F1 drivers won't mind their language
- Brazil judge orders X to reimpose block or face hefty fine
- Munich to rename stadium street after Beckenbauer
- Champions Italy to face Argentina in Davis Cup Final 8
- The winding, fitful path to weight loss drug Ozempic
- Italians defeat American Magic to reach Louis Vuitton Cup final
- Norris has 'nothing to lose' as he hunts Verstappen in Singapore
- Kyiv 'outraged' at Swiss showing of Russian war film
- French city renames Abbe Pierre square after abuse claims
- Footballer charged after huge cannabis seizure at UK airport
- Vatican recognises Medjugorje shrine, but not Virgin's messages
- Israel bombs Hezbollah strongholds in Lebanon after wave of deadly blasts
- Bank of England freezes rate after jumbo US cut
- Playing Nadal is 'kind of a nightmare', says Alcaraz
- Portugal tackles last of deadly northern forest fires
- Ton-up Ashwin lifts India to 339-6 against Bangladesh
- Departing NATO chief warns US against 'isolationism'
- Coming winter 'sternest test yet' for Ukraine energy grid
- Evacuations as tail of Storm Boris floods northeast Italy
- Lebanon's Hezbollah reeling after second wave of deadly blasts
- Taiwan recognises same-sex marriages between Chinese, Taiwanese
- Stock markets rally after jumbo US rate cut
- Gabon's ousted leader Bongo says renouncing politics for good
- Lebanon device blasts: what we know about deadly attacks
- Equity markets rally after jumbo US rate cut
- Late Harrods owner Al-Fayed accused of rape: BBC
- Hong Kong man sentenced 14 months for wearing 'seditious' T-shirt
- Lebanon's Hezbollah in disarray after second wave of deadly blasts
- Equity markets, yen rally after jumbo US rate cut
- Meta and Spotify blast EU decisions on AI
- Hasan takes three as Bangladesh rattle India in first Test
- Two killed during police operation in New Caledonia
- Flood-hit region leaders to meet in Poland to discuss EU aid
- Sri Lanka to vote in first poll since economic collapse
- Hong Kong probe finds Cathay Airbus defect could cause 'extensive' damage
- AI development cannot be left to market whim, UN experts warn
- All Blacks primed for 'hell' of a Wallabies clash
- Japan firm says no longer makes radio reportedly used in Lebanon blasts
- Zoom fatigue? Try some nature in your background: study
- Boeing to start large-scale furloughs with Seattle strike talks stalled
RBGPF | 5.79% | 60.5 | $ | |
CMSC | -0.18% | 25.01 | $ | |
BCC | 3.81% | 142.495 | $ | |
BTI | -0.54% | 37.675 | $ | |
GSK | -1.03% | 41.996 | $ | |
SCS | -7.79% | 13.09 | $ | |
BP | 2.2% | 33.158 | $ | |
RYCEF | 5.48% | 6.93 | $ | |
NGG | -2% | 68.675 | $ | |
RIO | 3.8% | 65.395 | $ | |
JRI | -0.37% | 13.39 | $ | |
VOD | -1.74% | 10.055 | $ | |
CMSD | 0.4% | 25.08 | $ | |
BCE | -0.48% | 35.44 | $ | |
RELX | 1.33% | 48.01 | $ | |
AZN | 0.66% | 79.105 | $ |
France captain Dupont among Toulouse Covid-19 positives
France captain Antoine Dupont is among Toulouse players who have tested positive for Covid-19, club president Didier Lacroix said Friday.
"He was injured, now he has Covid," Lacroix told a press conference, confirming a rumour circulating since Thursday.
Lacroix did not give details on the other players involved.
The announcement comes two weeks before France's opening game of the Six Nations tournament on February 6 against Italy.
Lacroix was speaking after European Champions Cup organisers cancelled his club's home game on Saturday against Cardiff, leaving the reigning European champions at risk of failing to reach the last 16.
European Professional Club Rugby handed the Welsh side a bonus point 28-0 victory.
Lacroix said his side had enough fit players to fulfil the fixture but competition rules say clubs must follow their domestic league's coronavirus regulations.
Dupont, the world player of the year in 2021, had resumed training at the beginning of the week. He was supposed to make his return on Saturday against Cardiff.
The scrum-half, is one of 10 Toulouse players in the French Six Nations squad which is due to assemble on Sunday ahead of a training camp.
"We knew it was a possible hazard, but unfortunately we are used to it," Serge Simon, vice-president of the French Rugby Federation told AFP, adding that players who tested positive could "not join the gathering until later", once their tests are negative.
"What gives us some comfort is that the first match is not right away, so it will be fine," Simon said.
Short of match fitness, Dupont could stay with Toulouse for the Top 14 game against Racing 92 on January 29.
"If the French team lets us have him, it would be with great pleasure," said Toulouse backs coach Clement Poitrenaud although he said he was "not worried" about the player's "capacity" to "quickly get back into the rhythm".
"Antoine is a boy who loves rugby and can't stand being in the infirmary or at home. It is also a great frustration for him" that he has not played since December 11, said Poitrenaud.
"He's not a superman either, he can't keep going at such a high level of performance without having little slumps or injuries from time to time."
"It's also perhaps a blessing in disguise given the last three seasons, which have been very intense for him. Plus the media hype around him, which can suck up a lot of energy. He took advantage of this time to recover, to rest, to regenerate."
B.Shevchenko--BTB