The world number one adds to the list of players contaminated on the sidelines of the charity event (Adria Tower) that he organized in the Balkans.
It was the turn of Novak Djokovic. The world number one in tennis announced this Tuesday, have been tested positive for the coronavirus. The statement from his staff said that the Serbian player does not “feel any symptoms”. Three players who participated in the Adria Tower, a charity event that he organized in the Balkans, which started in mid-June in Belgrade, had already announced their test positive to the Covid-19 : the Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov (19th world), the Croatian Borna Coric (33rd) and the Serbian Viktor Troicki (184th).
“Upon arrival to Belgrade (from Zadar, Croatia, which takes place Saturday and Sunday, the second stage of the tournament), we went for tests. Mine and that of Jelena (his wife) are positive. Those children are negative,” said Novak Djokovic in the press release. ll stated that he had placed himself in isolation for 14 days and that it referred to a test in five days.
“I hope that the number of contaminated will not increase”
“Nola,” as it is affectionately known, said he “was extremely sorry for every single case of contamination.” “I hope that the number of contaminated will not increase”, he added. “Everything we have done for the past month, was done with a pure heart and with sincere intentions,” continued the Serbian. He added that the tournament was organised “with the idea to help tennis players of the region, to create conditions for them to play, so they can be income in order to overcome more easily the difficult period”.
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A little later in the day, on Twitter, he has made his mea culpa. “I am deeply sorry that our tournament has been the cause of such damages”, said on Twitter the winner of 17 titles in Grand Slam. “We were wrong, it was too early”, he added.
The images of the first stage of the Adria Tower in Belgrade, showed the stadium fills, almost without a protective mask. Players were given accolades on the court or dined together without any precaution.
This was not, however, in contradiction with the directives of the regional health authorities. “We held the tournament at the time the virus are fading, believing that the conditions were present for the meeting,” said Novak Djokovic in the press release. The idea was to send “messages of solidarity, respect, fair play”. Interviewed by Eurosport, the epidemiologist Catherine Hill reiterated the importance for the players “wear masks (outside of matches), not to type not in the hand and to be distant from each other”.
“It was irresponsible and immature”
Bruno Soares, member of the board of players for president, Novak Djokovic, is more severe about this exhibition, such as the spotted the Team. “It was a spectacle of horror”, was let go this specialist double to Globo Esporte. “It was irresponsible and immature (…) This event has been organized with irresponsibility absurd”.
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In Croatia, 2317 confirmed cases have been reported to the 22 June, and 107 deaths were reported. Officially, Serbia has registered 244 people dead. A figure probably under-evaluated. As mentioned by RFI, between 19 march and 1 June, 632 people tested positive for the coronavirus died in Serbia, according to the site investigation BIRN, by comparing the figures provided by the different hospitals of the country, which are available on the official website covid19.rs. Serbia held parliamentary elections on Sunday. The football championship was resumed at the end of may.
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