By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
A fourth LDLC ASVEL Lyon-Villeurbanne case surfaced, the French team announced Sunday during the Jeep Elite Pro A Regular Season Round 4 game versus Cholet.
According to Euroleague Basketball protocols, all players were tested following Friday’s Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season Round 2 tilt against AX Armani Exchange Olimpia Milan in Italy. It was determined that one more player contracted coronavirus.
The results were confirmed shortly prior to Sunday’s domestic game. The player testing positive was immediately removed as a precaution.
While officially the name of the player who was tested positive to COVID was not announced, Norris Cole played just 40 seconds before exiting the game.
Reacting to a player testing positive included I the game squad, the mayor of Cholet Gilles Bourdouleix warned he is prepared to take legal actions.
“There will be no more matches at the Meilleraie as long as French basketball is managed by the irresponsible LNB,” he noted via a post on Twitter and went on to the team visiting his city, “Faced with the behavior of ASVEL during the match this afternoon, using a player positive for COVID-19, I will initiate criminal proceedings against the club and LNB. Irresponsibility in this health context must be punished!”
Kevarrius Hayes and Matthew Strazel also missed the game, so did head coach TJ Parker after previously registering positive for COVID-19.
The upcoming EuroLeague double-game week will bring Panathinaikos OPAP and Crvena Zvezda mts to France to face ASVEL Tuesday and Thursday, respectively.
Apart from the French EuroLeague team, Zenit also added on evolving coronavirus cases Sunday. The Russian club suspended practices and is considering requesting upcoming games in Europe’s premier club competition to be postponed.