Soccer in Croatia reverts back to games in empty stadiums

Posted July 20, 2020 7:00 am

The Associated Press

ZAGREB, Croatia (AP) - Croatia's soccer federation reversed its policy on allowing fans into games and said on Monday it would complete the season in empty stadiums.

The federation said the decision followed a 'œsignificant increase'ť in the number of confirmed coronavirus infections.

Some spectators were allowed into Croatian sports events since mid-June, including top-tier soccer games and a tennis tournament in Zadar organized by Novak Djokovic. It was criticized for ignoring social distancing guidance.

Croatia, a nation of 4 million people, reported totals of 122 deaths and 4,370 confirmed coronavirus cases to Monday, according to counts kept by Johns Hopkins University.

The top-tier men's league won by Dinamo Zagreb plays one more round on Saturday and the national cup final is on Aug. 1. The empty-stadium restriction also applies to the women's competitions.

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More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/Soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

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