Initial tests into the suspected food poisoning outbreak at
Tottenham have been deemed inconclusive, despite the discovery of a
virus in one of the affected players.
Ten Spurs players fell ill prior to their last game of the season
against West Ham, which they subsequently lost to end their UEFA
Champions League hopes.
Tottenham, whose request to replay the fixture was denied, believe
that the lasagne they ate at a hotel the night before was to blame,
and have endeavoured to get to the root of the problem.
A report from the Health Protection Agency confirmed that one
player was suffering from a virus that could have spread from one
player to another, but also revealed that the virus was not present
in another who had the same symptoms.
There have been suggestions that one player may have contracted a
form of gastroenteritis before their stay in the hotel, leaving
Spurs waiting on the results of further tests.
"The information received so far is inconclusive, but more
importantly, the results shown as yet are inconsistent," said
Tottenham's head of medical services, Dr. Charlotte Cowie.
"Despite there being the presence of a virus in one sample, it is
not present in another sample from an equally affected
individual.
"Therefore, it would be incorrect to make any assumptions at this
stage as to the origin or timing of this and, if anything, it
serves to sustain our level of uncertainty.
"I should also like to stress at this point we are awaiting the
results of numerous further tests.
"It really is far too premature to draw any conclusions from such
an initial set of results."
