CAPE TOWN – From the NBA to European Football leagues, to Canadian ice-hockey: several high-profile sports-people have in recent times fallen victim to the Coronavirus.
Most of the cases of infected players listed below were reported before authorities across the globe announced whole-scale cancellations and postponements of events, tournaments and leagues across the globe.
Following these mass suspensions, players have been mostly confined to their homes as is the protocol during this pandemic. On a lighter note, this confinement has spawned several social-media challenges like the #stayathomechallenge and social-media posts where players share their training routines while indoors.
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Below is a list of confirmed cases of athletes who have been infected with Covid-19.
Football
Paulo Dybala
is an Italy-based Argentinian footballer who announced his diagnosis on Friday March 20.
Kozo Tashima
is the head of the Japanese Football Association. He tested positive for the Coronavirus on March 17. Ashima also serves as deputy head of Japan's Olympic Committee.
Deportivo Alaves
: The Spanish football club announced 15 positive coronavirus cases - three senior (first team) players from the first team, as well as seven coaching staff members.
Blaise Matuidi
is a midfielder with The Juventus and a World Cup winner with France in 2018.
Daniele Rugani
also plays for Juventus.
Mikel Arteta
: The 37-year-old Arsenal manager was the first in England's football Premier League to be diagnosed with the coronavirus - on March 12.
Thanks for your words and support.Feeling better already.We’re all facing a huge & unprecedented challenge.Everyone’s health is all that matters right now.Protect each other by following the guidelines & we’ll come through this together.Well done PL for making the right decisions pic.twitter.com/0rnwHmQWha
— Mikel Arteta (@m8arteta) March 13, 2020
Callum Hudson-Odoi
: On the same day as Mikel Arteta, 19-year-old Chelsea winger Hudson-Odoi also announced he was infected.
Sampdoria
: Five players and the team doctor from Italian club Sampdoria have tested positive.
Dusan Vlahovic
is a Serbian striker for Serie A club Fiorentina.
Marouane Fellaini
plays in the Chinese Super League (CSL)
NFL
Sean Payton
: The New Orleans Saints coach announced that he tested positive for the coronavirus on March 19.
Swimming
Cameron van der Burgh:
is the first South African athlete to confirm that he has been infected with Covid-19.
Ice Hockey
Ottawa Senators
: A second player has tested positive for the new coronavirus, while the first player was the first first known case in North America's National Hockey League. The players were not identified.
A second #Sens player has tested positive for COVID-19. The player was part of the recent away trip that included games in San Jose, Anaheim and Los Angeles.
MORE: https://t.co/XWSkUJK1nd pic.twitter.com/O2fpYN42JH
— Ottawa Senators (@Senators) March 21, 2020
NBA
Rudy Gobert:
The Utah Jazz basketball star was also diagnosed with the virus.
Donovan Mitchell
is another Utah Jazz player who also tested positive for COVID-19 on March 12.
Christian Wood
is a Detroit Pistons player who tested positive.
Brooklyn Nets
: Four players on the Brooklyn Nets basketball team tested positive for the coronavirus on March 17.
Marcus Smart:
The Boston Celtics guard tested positive.
Kevin Durant
: On March 17, the Brooklyn Nets announced that four of their players – including Durant - had tested positive for the coronavirus. The club did not name the other three.
A statement from the Brooklyn Nets: pic.twitter.com/QnETcDEHCJ
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) March 17, 2020
Cycling
Fernando Gaviria
is a Colombian cyclist who confirmed on March 12 that he contracted the coronavirus while racing during an event in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Dmitry Strakhov
was the second cyclist at the UAE Tour to have been diagnosed with the virus.