Brazilian footballers to boycott Copa America

By Selcuk Bugra Gokalp

ANKARA (AA) - Tite, the coach of the Brazilian national team, said Friday the players do not want to take part in Copa America due to the pandemic in Brazil.

He said team captain Casemiro, who plays for Real Madrid, did not attend Tite's press conference to express the reservations the team had.

Tite added that the team is focused on the matches it will play in the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, and Copa America is not among the team's priorities.

Several states in Brazil, including Pernambuco, Minas Gerais and Rio Grande do Sul, have announced that they will not host the tournament, which is scheduled to begin on June 13.

The South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) accepted the withdrawal applications of the two countries due to violent protests in Colombia and the COVID-19 outbreak in Argentina. Instead, they announced that the tournament will be held in Brazil.

Brazil is among the worst affected countries in the world due to the virus with over 470,000 deaths.