– A serious breach of the duty of confidentiality and we hope the case will be resolved.
Geir Elfsen, the Norwegian Football Association’s (NFF) chief security adviser, tells Dagbladet.
In mid-November last year, it was confirmed that the right-back of the national team, Omar Al-Abdlawi (29), had been infected with Corona. But before the Galatasaray player and everyone in the national team knew about it, VG was notified about the positive test.
This led to Ellefsen – after a power of attorney from Elabdellaoui – to report the case.
In training: Galatasaray player Omar Al-Abdlawi in training with Martin Odegaard, Erling Braut Haaland and Markus Henriksen. Photo: Håkon Mosvold Larsen / NTB
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Dagbladet previously wrote that the police had charged an individual with breach of confidentiality. The corona test was analyzed in a laboratory in Oslo. As Dagbladet understands it, the answer has been put forward in several systems – which means that more, but still a limited number of people, can come to the conclusion.
Opposite Dagbladet, Oslo Police District Police District Attorney Helle Brabrand explains the development in the case:
– That the person be accused. The accusation was based on facts revealed during the investigation, including the interrogation. The person in question was given accused status when the Oslo District Court requested an inspection in February. The Oslo Magistrate’s Court accepted the prosecution’s request for a search. She said that the search resulted in electronic seizures.
Corona new shock to the national team
The Oslo District Court has considered a request by the Prosecuting Authority to review the material seized electronically, and the review of this matter is now still in first instance.
– How long will this take?
It is not known how long this review will take.
The answer to a positive coronavirus test was entered into the 10 p.m. rule on Thursday 12 November last year. Just two hours later, the national team’s press director, Sven Graf, was called up by VG. He was asked to comment but knew nothing.
Only on the morning of Friday, November 13, did the Football Association find in its database that Al-Abdlawi had tested positive. A few hours later, they released a press release about the positive test.
VG Sports Director Eric Borod previously commented on the investigation in a text message to Dagbladet. Then he said:
“We operate in a normal journalistic fashion in our news work, and obtain information for our editorial team, including by contacting the source and tips. In this case, the NFL issued a press release about an injured national footballer, and shortly thereafter we published our case. I do not comment on the normal press investigations that we may have conducted before and after that.”
Breeds: – Shame
The police confirmed that the investigation was a breach of the duty of confidentiality.
Police take a case seriously where patient information is leaked, and police hope this will clarify what actually happened during the custody review, says police attorney Healy Brabrand.
– What is the penalty framework?
Violation of Penal Code § 209 for breach of confidentiality is punishable by a fine or imprisonment up to one year.
Security Advisor: Not Elfsen. Photo: Terje Pedersen / NTB
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Security consultant Elfsen hopes to come up with a solution:
– The NFF was very relieved that the police immediately launched an investigation, and that the case was a top priority of the police, he tells Dagbladet.
Only a month and a half later – on New Year’s Eve – El-Abdlawi was shot in the face with a fireworks display. He’s gone out of sight and hasn’t returned to battle yet. But he is training with Istanbul giants Galatasaray and the goal is to get him back on the football field.
Dagbladet was unable to contact Abdalawi.
The national football team will travel to Istanbul next Thursday to face Turkey in the World Cup qualifiers.
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