Turkish football club to undergo further COVID-19 tests

By Can Erozden

ANKARA (AA) - MKE Ankaragucu of the Turkish Super Lig will repeat coronavirus tests for club personnel after a player tested positive for the coronavirus earlier this week, the team said Thursday.

"As part of the coronavirus scan, our football players, technical staff and club personnel will have COVID-19 PCR tests again on May 11," it said.

The Ankara-based club tested players, coaches and staff earlier this week but the player's identity who tested positive was not disclosed.

The player was rushed to hospital.

Ankaragucu delayed training sessions until May 11 to stem the spread of the virus.

Separately, Super Lig leaders Trabzonspor said tests were conducted on players and technical staff Wednesday and no positive cases were found.

First team players will train at the Black Sea’s premises Friday but those who are injured will be exempted.

On Thursday, the death toll from the COVID-19 pandemic rose to 3,641 as Turkey saw 57 additional deaths, while 4,782 recovered in the past 24 hours, according to Health Minister Fahrettin Koca.

- Turkish football set to return

Football leagues in Turkey will resume this summer, the country's football body said Wednesday.

"For now, we decided to start Turkish football leagues, which were previously suspended [due to coronavirus], such as the Super Lig, first, second, third divisions and amateur leagues in the week of June 12, 13 and 14," the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) President Nihat Ozdemir previously said in a video conference.

Matches in Turkey were played to empty stadiums after the first case was diagnosed March 11 and the federation suspended the leagues after the deaths from the virus in the country.

The country suspended all competitions in major sports, including football, basketball, handball and volleyball March 19.