“Mistakes” were made during the Adria Tour exhibition tournament organized by ATP ranking number one Serb Novak Djokovic, admitted Georgui Stoimenov, agent of Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov, one of those infected with COVID-19 in the charity competition interrupted by the outbreak of the disease.
“We have made mistakes and we did not maintain discipline sufficiently,” Stoimenov told Bulgarian broadcaster bTV after assuring that the majority of the people tested for having been in contact with Dimitrov have given negative results, compared to “20 percent” who have been infected.
“Grigor is very affected by what happened,” said the agent.
Dimitrov recovers without symptoms
On the other hand, he reported that Dimitrov, the 19th player in the world, is recovering in Monaco, where he resides.
“Yesterday he had no symptoms. He felt tired and had a fever the day before his match. After playing in the morning, he had to play another match in the afternoon and he couldn't. It is when he decided to return to Monaco and be seen by the doctors, “he explained.
In the analyzes “it turned out that I had COVID-19, until then I didn't even suspect it”, Georgiev said.
Dimitrov, holder of eight ATP titles, pHe articulated on the Adria Tour, both in the first phase, in Belgrade, and in the second, in the Croatian city of Zadar. He faced Saturday against Borna Coric, who won 4-1 and 4-1.
At least six infections
Georgiev declined to speculate on how the outbreak originated. of coronavirus in the tournament.
So far, the coronavirus has been detected in five participants: in addition to the Bulgarian virus, they have been infected Croatian Borna Coric, Serbian Victor Troicki, and two coaches, one from Novak Djokovic himself, Marko Paniki, and that of Dimitrov, Kristijan Groh.
To them is added Troicki's wife, who is pregnant and has also tested positive, while The result of the test that Djokovic and his family underwent yesterday in Belgrade was expected on Tuesday who accompanied him to Zadar.
The number one in world tennis, who chairs the ATP Players Council and who refused to take the test in the Croatian city, it is the subject of harsh international criticism for what many see as a lack of responsibility for having underestimated the pandemic.
Djokovic's negligence?
According to the media, neither in the first nor in the second stage of the tournament were the preventive measures respected against the coronavirus: neither masks nor physical distancing.
Also, the players participated in parties in which hugs and effusion samples were not lacking, as well as in numerous sporting events in Zadar with local citizens, even with many children on “Kids Day”, according to the Croatian press.
Georguiev commented today that the tennis players were very “excited” to meet again after more than three months of isolation.
“It is possible that some limits and rules were crossed” because they felt freer, he acknowledged.
Intense tracking in Haskovo
In Haskovo, Dimitrov's hometown, health authorities and police were still searching today for people who have had contact with the tennis player. in a recent act, to put them under quarantine and / or test them for coronavirus.
“Not all the people who have had contact with Dimitrov have already been tested”, City Governor Sonya Dimitrova told bTV television today, reiterating that the test is offered free of charge.
Despite this, many citizens made an analysis on their own. So far, local authorities have quarantined 13 people.
Quarantine teasing
Daniel Gollan, former Minister of Health of Argentina in 2015 and current Minister of Health of the Province of Buenos Aires, said that Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic, number one in tennis, is a “irresponsible” because he “mocked” the quarantine.