Coronavirus sports deaths

Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter

TWO Spanish football personalities and two sports journalists have succumbed to the Covid-19 pandemic, with the latest being former Real Madrid president Lorenzo Sanz, who died on Saturday at the age 76.

While a number of sportspersons have tested positive for coronavirus, the first sports personality to die from the disease was 21-year-old Spanish coach Francisco Garcia on Sunday last week followed by veteran sports journalists Jose Maria Candela and Tomas Diaz Valdes.

According to media reports, Sanz, who was Real Madrid president from 1995-2000, had been admitted to hospital with a fever and tested positive for Covid-19.

“From La Liga, we want to send our deepest condolences for the recent death of Lorenzo Sanz, with whom many of us have shared work and friendship,” read a brief statement from La Liga.

A statement on Real Madrid’s official website said the club regrets with great consternation the death of Sanz and expressed deepest condolences to his family and friends.

“During the presidency of Sanz, Real Madrid continued to add to its history and legendary status. He was president of the club when, after 32 years, the club won its much awaited seventh European Cup in Amsterdam in 1998,” read the statement.

Real Madrid won two European Cups and an Intercontinental Cup, a league title, the Spanish Super Cup, a basketball league title and the Saporta Cup during his reign.

A number of sports figures have tested positive for Covid-19, which has so far infected more than 226 000 and killed over 11 000 people globally by yesterday, according to the World Health Organisation.