Mariappa returns to Watford training

National senior men's football team defender Adrian Mariappa is back in training with his English Premier League (EPL) club Watford after recently recovering from COVID-19.

Mariappa, 33 years old, was one of six positive results to have come back from the Premier League's first round of testing, with two other Watford staff members also testing positive for the virus.

The club confirmed this news by posting a video on its website of the defender returning to training.

News of Mariappa's return to training comes after Premier League clubs unanimously agreed to move to phase two of the return-to-training protocol earlier this week, allowing for group training, and, for the first time since the suspension of football, tackling. The EPL is scheduled to resume on June 17.

Mariappa said he was very surprised about his positive test because he had been observing all the rules of the United Kingdom's lockdown since football was suspended in mid-March.

"It was a big surprise because I haven't really left the house," Mariappa told British newspaper The Telegraph.

"Apart from some exercise and the odd walk with the kids, I've mainly just been homeschooling and keeping fit," he said. "My lifestyle is very quiet, certainly no parties or going out or anything, so I really don't know how I got it."

Watford are just outside the relegation zone of the English Premier League. They were in 17th spot on 27 points when the competition was suspended in March because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Mariappa has made 49 appearances for the Reggae Boyz since making his debut in 2012. He is expected to play a vital role in the Reggae Boyz's campaign to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.