Six Maharashtra sub-junior footballers pull out of competition on suspicion of dengue

Six players of the Maharashtra sub-junior football team were on Saturday ruled out of their national championship match against Daman and Diu here as they were suspected to be suffering from dengue.

Four footballers were found to have low platelet counts in the tests conducted at a local hospital while another two have also been kept under observation.

The match against Daman and Diu is to be played on Sunday. The competition is organised by the All India Football Federation (AIFF).

An official, who is with the Maharashtra sub-junior team, told PTI on condition of anonymity that in all eight boys were taken to different clinics for various tests.

"Eight boys were taken to a hospital and six boys are back to the hotel. Out of the six, four boys cannot play tomorrow's match because of detection of low platelet counts in their blood and we are still awaiting a report on dengue," the official said.

"These boys cannot play tomorrow's match (against Daman and Diu), but we will have to play the match with whatever players we have," the official said, adding the match commissioner has been briefed about the situation.