Serbia champion Red Star CEO tests positive for virus

Posted June 26, 2020 7:00 am

The Associated Press

FILE - In this July 21, 2006 file photo, Red Star Belgrade soccer club director Zvezdan Terzic poses in Belgrade, Serbia. Terzic says he has tested positive for the coronavirus, days after the Serbian champions played matches in front of thousands of fans despite the pandemic. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic, File) The Associated Press

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) - Red Star Belgrade CEO Zvezdan Terzic said Friday he has tested positive for the coronavirus, days after the Serbian soccer champion played matches in front of thousands of fans despite the pandemic.

'œOn Saturday before the title celebration, I got tested and I was negative. However, the last two days I had a fever and yesterday I got tested again, which showed that I was positive,'ť Terzic said in a statement.

Five Red Star players earlier this week tested positive for COVID-19 in the wake of their title triumph and a semifinal league cup match against rival Partizan.

Serbian health officials lifted most lockdown measures in May, allowing large gatherings where social distancing or wearing masks are not obligatory.

Serbia, along with the rest of the Balkans, is currently experiencing a peak in confirmed coronavirus cases.

Serbia's top-ranked tennis star Novak Djokovic and three other players have been confirmed infected with the virus after playing in front of thousands of spectators at the events he hosted in Belgrade and in the Croatian Adriatic resort of Zadar.

Djokovic's coach Goran Ivanisevic on Friday confirmed he has also tested positive.

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In this Wednesday, June 10, 2020. photo, Red Star fans support their team during a Serbian National Cup semi final soccer match between Partizan and Red Star in Belgrade, Serbia. Red Star Belgrade soccer club director Zvezdan Terzic says he has tested positive for the coronavirus, days after the Serbian champions played matches in front of thousands of fans despite the pandemic. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) The Associated Press

In this Wednesday, June 10, 2020 photo, Red Star fans support their team prior to a Serbian National Cup semifinal soccer match between Partizan and Red Star in Belgrade, Serbia. Red Star Belgrade soccer club director Zvezdan Terzic says he has tested positive for the coronavirus, days after the Serbian champions played matches in front of thousands of fans despite the pandemic. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) The Associated Press

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