Former England footballer Eni Aluko wept outside a Barbados court on Saturday after she was let off for a breach of the country’s quarantine rules following her arrival for a holiday.
Aluko, 33, was photographed on a bus by a member of the public who spread the image on social media and accused her of failing to remain in her hotel while awaiting the results of a coronavirus test performed at the airport
Visitors to Barbados from the UK are classed as ‘medium risk’ and required to arrive with a negative coronavirus test, or take a coronavirus test on arrival in the country and quarantine in a hotel until the results are available.
Ms Aluko admitted the charges of leaving the Little Arches hotel in Christ Church before learning the result of her test and was released with a reprimand in a Barbados court, according to local media.
The former footballer, who is now a pundit with the BBC and other broadcasters, called the episode a misunderstanding and told the court that she believed she had to wait a maximum of 12 hours, rather than until the results came through.
She later claimed on Twitter that she had followed all the rules before posting on Instagram, asking for people not to misjudge her true intentions.
If travellers arrive in Barbados with a negative coronavirus test result of the wrong type, they are required to take another one at the airport and await the results in their hotel.
She said: ‘A misunderstanding that has now been fully resolved. I followed all the rules coming into Barbados and arrived with a negative Covid test result and did another test on arrival.
‘I understood that I would have to stay at the quarantine hotel for a maximum of 8-12 hours and would be informed of my result via my contact details after I waited 16 hours. The quarantine hotel were aware and did not prevent me from leaving wearing a protective mask.
‘It was my misunderstanding and honest mistake which the Barbados authorities quite clearly understand, to the extent they refused to let me pay a fine which I offered for my honest mistake.
‘This is my 2nd and last time in Barbados. An Island I love and appreciate. I’d now like to continue enjoying my holiday in peace.’
She was spotted after images surfaced on social media and was tracked down by Barbadian officials before being given a warning in court.
The BBC pundit had been charged with disobeying the order of the Chief Medical Officer and was left in tears as she was escorted out of court on Saturday
Aluko’s results eventually came back negative for Covid-19 but at the time she left the Little Arches Hotel in Enterprise, Christ Church, that was undetermined and her actions were considered a risk to general population.
The former Arsenal and Chelsea striker left her hotel and rode the ZR – a private taxi-bus system that operates in Barbados. Local newspaper Nation News report that she initially pleaded not guilty before changing her plea.
Magistrate Douglas Frederick, who oversaw Aluko’s hearing, warned the former England international that her venture out of the hotel placed others at risk.
Aluko said in her defence that she was confused by the rules on movement as she waited for her results, and she was not prevented from leaving by the hotel.
Barbados has recorded 138 Covid-19 cases and of those so far there have been 108 recoveries and seven deaths.
Aluko, England Women’s 10th most-capped player, stayed at the five-star Little Arches Hotel, with prices starting at £228-a-night.
When questioned the BBC pundit accepted that she was aware that as a visitor to Barbados, she knew she was supposed to stay indoors until the Covid-19 test results came back.
‘I came here on the basis that there were more relaxed rules,’ Aluko was reported to have said in court by Barbadian publication Nation News.
‘I love Barbados. I came here in 2015. I came here for vacation. I would never, ever try to break any rules.
‘I understand that I should have waited on the test. I didn’t think I had to, I thought I had to wait a maximum of time. Honestly, your worship if they had stopped me from leaving I would have complied.’
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