Following Monday’s announcement about the reopening of sports activities, APR football club were the first team to have their players undergo Covid-19 tests before resuming training.

APR players and staff took the coronavirus tests at Kanombe Military Hospital on Tuesday, just a day after the Ministry of Sports gave a green light to sports activities – training and competitions – for full resumption but under strict health guidelines.

After undergoing the medical tests, all the players, coaching staff and other necessary support personnel will stay in the same residence to minimise the contamination risks and ensure that their health is monitored daily.

However, even after presenting negative results, APR will also need the Sports Ministry’s approval before resuming training.

"Testing the players is one of the requirements, our training facility also needs to be inspected before we can get approval from the ministry,” Claver Kazungu, the APR spokesperson, told Times Sport in an interview on Tuesday.

APR have a busy campaign ahead as they gear up to represent the country in the 2020/21 Caf Champions League, on top of the challenge to retain the league title they claimed unbeaten last season.

Speaking to this publication in a separate interview, Maj. Gen. Mubarak Muganga, APR’s vice-president, said that the club is ready to comply with all the established health guidelines, and will start training as soon as the approval is available.

"APR have everything in place to start training,” he said, noting that "we will be using our training ground in Shyorongi, with players and all staff staying together in a designated quarantine residence.”

Sports activities have been suspended since mid-March as the government imposed strict measures to curb the spread of the pandemic after the first case was confirmed in the country.

While the national team, Amavubi, will resume their Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers campaign in the second week of November, the Rwanda Football Association (Ferwafa) is yet to announce the start date of the domestic season.