Tests have cleared a London hotel restaurant, which Tottenham blamed for a suspected outbreak of food poisoning that affected 10 of its players before a crucial defeat.
Health officials said on Tuesday that a virus was the likely cause of the illness that occurred on the eve of Tottenham’s 2-1 loss to West Ham on May 7, the final day of the Premier League season.
That loss and a 4-2 win by Arsenal over Wigan allowed the Gunners to overtake Spurs and finish in fourth place, gaining the last berth in the Champions League.
The Premier League turned down a Tottenham request to replay the game.
The team ate a lasagne dinner the night before the game at an east London hotel. Samples from the hotel kitchen were taken for testing and came back ”completely negative”, the Health Protection Agency said in a statement.
”None of the results or findings indicated that food poisoning was the cause,” said Colin Perrins, who heads the London local government health unit. ”The likely cause of illness suffered by the Tottenham Hotspur FC staff and players was from a viral source.” — Sapa-AP