Sunderland have branded allegations in the German media attributed to loanee goalkeeper Thorben Hoffmann that he was asked to play while suffering from Covid as 'false and inaccurate'. Bayern Munich man Hoffmann told German newspaper Bild Sport that after contracting Covid at the turn of the year and serving a seven-day quarantine period, he resumed playing even though the 'quick test was still slightly positive. I had to play with Corona!'
He went on to say that he played three games, despite feeling 'dizziness' and a 'stabbing [pain in the] heart as well as shortness of breath'. Hoffmann later returned to Germany for a medical examination, but did not play again for the club as youngster Anthony Patterson established himself as first-choice goalkeeper under new boss Alex Neil when he took over in February.
But Sunderland have rejected Hoffmann's version of events, releasing a statement saying: 'Sunderland AFC categorically refutes the allegations published earlier today in German newspaper Bild Sport. The report includes a number of false and inaccurate claims relating to Ron-Thorben Hoffmann and the club has contacted the player's representatives to clarify the comments made.
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'SAFC complied with all Government and EFL guidance and protocols fully throughout the Covid-19 pandemic and continues to ensure the health and well-being of all staff is protected at all times. The club will be making no further comment at this moment in time.'
Hoffmann was one of a number of Sunderland players who contracted Covid at the end of December/early January, including fellow keeper Lee Burge. The 23-year-old, who had taken over from Burge as Sunderland's number one in the first half of the campaign, played against Sheffield Wednesday on December 30 but was unavailable for the games at Wycombe on January 8 and at home to Lincoln on January 11, with Patterson recalled from a loan spell at Notts County in order to play.
Hoffmann returned to start the next four games but after playing in the home defeat against Doncaster on February 5 he then returned to Germany with caretaker-boss Mike Dodds saying the player was undergoing 'blood tests'. When he returned, Hoffmann spent the remainder of the season on the bench as backup to Patterson.
Hoffmann, who has since returned to his parent club Bayern Munich, had said in Bild: " At the turn of the year I got infected and that changed everything. When I came back after seven days of quarantine, I went straight back in goal – although the quick test was still slightly positive.
"I had to play with Corona! I played three [more] games, but felt worse from game to game.
"I had dizziness and a stabbing heart, as well as shortness of breath. The adrenaline kept me pumping in the first game because I was happy to be back in goal.
"From the second game on, the symptoms became more severe, hardly anything worked. I told the club management that I can’t help the team at the moment and that I need to be examined more deeply.
"But that was taken the wrong way... There were no examinations of the heart or lungs after the infection.
"There were not even any more quick tests before the games. I wasn't physically well, but the club wanted me to be tougher.
"I was really scared that something like happened to [Bayern's] Alphonso Davies or [Hertha Berlin's] Rune Jarstein [who both suffered from heart muscle inflammation] could also happen to me."
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