By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
AX Armani Exchange Olimpia Milano will host Crvena Zvezda mts Wednesday and Zalgiris Kaunas Friday as originally planned in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season Round 9 and Round 10 schedules.
Per EuroLeague Basketball: “After the announcement on Monday, November 9, that several AX Armani Exchange Milan team members had tested positive for COVID-19, the Milan public health authorities forced the team to suspend its activity and to remain in self-isolation. Due to the large number of positives combined with a lack of symptoms, the Milan Team Doctor and the Euroleague Basketball Medical Officer considered them as doubtful positive PCR test results. As per the Euroleague Basketball Health & Safety Protocols, which state that “In case a club receives a false or doubtful positive PCR test result, the individual will be retested twice on two consecutive days. If the second and third PCR test both are negative, the individual will be considered negative,” the entire team was retested immediately, with only a limited number of positive results. The third PCR test, administered both for the original PCR positive individuals and the rest of the team members, was not made until Friday, November 13, due to the Milan public health authorities’ requirements. After this last test, Milan public health authorities cleared the team to restart its activity, with all individuals considered negative, as of today, and available for upcoming Turkish Airlines EuroLeague games.”
Recent developments pictured in the press release above led to the postponement of two road games in Russia against Zenit Saint-Petersburg and Khimki Moscow Region. The Round 6 home game versus ALBA Berlin is also pending for the Italian outlet.
The team coached by Ettore Messina holds a 3-2 EuroLeague record entering the double-game week in Europe’s premier club continental competition. In its return to action after the one-week hiatus, Milano defeated S.Bernardo-Cinelandia Cantu for an 8-0 start to the LBA Serie A.