China's women's football team quarantine 'pre-planned': AFC

decision to quarantine China's national women's team in an Australian hotel because of deadly coronavirus outbreak "was pre-planned", a top Asian football official said Thursday. Chinese team is being kept in a Brisbane hotel after arriving in Australia reportedly via Wuhan, epicentre of outbreak and where an Olympic qualifying tournament was originally due to be held. event, which also involves Australia, Taiwan and Thailand, was on Sunday moved to Sydney, with matches scheduled to be played next week.

A number of sports events have eir been postponed or moved outside of China since outbreak of deadly virus in Wuhan. Chinese Football Association on Thursday suspended all domestic matches and postponed next month's scheduled start of top-flight season indefinitely. Windsor John, Asian Football Confederation (AFC) general secretary, said that move to quarantine China's women's team was planned by Chinese Football Association (CFA) and Australian authorities.

"It is to allow for a two-week quarantine and it will be ending on day of first match," he told AFP. 

" drama to this. It was pre-planned." 

Queensland state chief health officer Jeannette Young said one from group, reportedly 32-strong including officials and staff, had shown any symptoms and that quarantine was a precautionary measure. China is due to play ir first match against Thailand on February 3. virus has killed 170 people in China, infected more than 7,700 and spread around world since emerging in central city of Wuhan.

Australian health officials on Wednesday said a 60-year-old man had been diagsed with virus, bringing number of confirmed cases in country to six. John said CFA's move to suspend all domestic football would t affect AFC Champions League group sts as Chinese clubs would w play ir first three fixtures in February and March away from home. "We have swapped matches. re will be impact since all home games re played away w," AFC secretary-general said.