By Stefan Djordjevic/ info@eurohoops.net
The Serbian national team has planned out a training camp on June 25 – July 5 on Kopaonik mountain in order to, due to national competitions being canceled, give the squad a chance to “maintain team spirit”.
However, the situation in Serbia and the region regarding the coronavirus pandemic has worsened recently, foreshadowing a “second wave” of the virus and that may affect the national team gathering as well. Especially if the country’s COVID-19 crisis team decides on implementing stricter restrictions, which is expected to be decided on in the coming days.
In fact, two guys (Nikola Jankovic and, according to Mozzart Sport, Stefan Djordjevic) from the 31-player list that were called up for the training camp have tested positive for COVID-19 and won’t be joining the others.
Jankovic’s case got some spotlight as he tested positive shortly after being present at Dejan Milojevic’s farewell game where many players from the national team were present and so was Nikola Jokic.
The following players were called up originally for the training camp at Kopaonik: Milos Teodosic, Miroslav Raduljica, Stefan Jovic, Vasilije Micic, Nemanja Nedovic, Nikola Kalinic, Ognjen Jaramaz, Rade Zagorac, Stefan Bircevic, Uros Trifunovic, Nikola Jankovic, Novica Velickovic, Luka Asceric, Nikola Rebic, Branko Lazic, Ognjen Dobric, Dejan Davidovac , Borisa Simanic, Nikola Jovanovic, Ognjen Kuzmic, Stefan Djordjevic, Stefan Pot, Marko Pecarski, Aleksa Radanov, Marko Radovanovic, Aleksa Avramovic, Nemanja Dangubic, Luka Mitrovic, Dalibor Ilic, Stefan Jankovic, and Aleksej Pokushevski.
All the players and the training staff will be tested on Wednesday (June 24), a day before departure. It should also be noted that head coach Igor Kokoskov won’t be present at the training camp due to his club obligations.
Basketball hasn’t been the only sport in Serbia that got struck by the coronavirus in the past two weeks. Five players from Crvena Zvezda‘s soccer squad were found positive while the Waterpolo Federation canceled all national team events and the situation in volleyball hasn’t been “cleared” either.
Much attention is being paid currently on the results of the coronavirus test taken by Serbia’s best tennis player Novak Djokovic who was participating in Adria Tour Zadar in Croatia where two players (Grigor Dimitrov and then Borna Coric) tested positive.