BUENOS AIRES: Argentina’s state President Alberto Fernández has confirmed that his country , joint cohost of the Copa América with Colombia in June and July, is ready to stage the tournament despite the ongoing 14-month pandemic lockdown.

Fernandez said: “We have agreed with South American confederation CONMEBOL to organize the Copa América and we will do so with all restrictions in place.

“They consulted us and we said Yes. It will be a Copa América for television but even in these conditions, we are ready to fulfill our commitment.”

A cloud of uncertainty hangs over the Copa América because of increase in Covid-19 infection rates across the continent and violent unrest on the streets in Colombia.

Argentina reached had a total of 3.3m cases and 70,552 deaths on Sunday.

On Sunday, River Plate were without 15 players who had tested positive for Covid-19 before the derby defeat by Boca Juniors in the quarterfinals of the Argentine League Cup.

Scheduled venues are Córdoba, Santiago del Estero, Mendoza and Buenos Aires in Argentina plus Colombia’s Barranquilla, Medellín, Cali and Bogotá.

The Copa América starts on June 13 with Argentina v Chile match at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires. The final is scheduled for July 10 in Barranquilla.

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