Dundalk have experienced an absolutely wretched start to the 2021 season and it got worse when photos showing of a few of the club's players in Belfast surfaced online at the weekend.
Intercounty travel was not permitted until last Monday, but the photos were published on social media on Sunday evening.
The club cancelled training yesterday over the breach of travel restrictions and covid tests were carried out.
This morning the club has released a statement saying the tests have come back negative. The statement says the players who broke travel restrictions 'apologise unreservedly for their actions', and the club said that 'no further action needs to be taken'.
Dundalk FC acknowledges that there was a recent breach of COVID-19 protocols and guidelines by some members of the first-team playing squad.
As a result, all players and coaching staff underwent COVID-19 testing on Tuesday morning. The club can confirm that all tests have since returned negative results. After consultation with HSE Live, the club has determined that no further action needs to be taken.
Since the advent of the virus, the club has worked in line with the FAI and HSE to ensure a safe environment for all of its players and staff and it is abundantly clear to everyone at Oriel Park that COVID-19 protocols must be strictly adhered to at all times.
The players fully recognise that this breach was a serious error of judgement and apologise unreservedly for their actions.
In other LOI covid news, Waterford FC yesterday forfeited this weekend's fixture against Sligo because of a positive covid test in its senior squad last week. Last weekend, the Waterford U19s were beat 7-0 by Drogheda United as the senior team was unavailable due to the positive covid test.
Dundalk currently sit 7th in the League of Ireland table. They lost 1-0 to Sligo on Friday evening.
SEE ALSO: Shelbourne Investigating Assault On Young Woman At DART Station
