BERN: The president of Switzerland’s football federation has tested positive for the coronavirus.

The Swiss federation said 70-year-old Dominique Blanc got the results of a test on Sunday morning and isolated himself at his home.

“I feel pretty good right now and have only mild flu symptoms,” Blanc said in a statement released by the federation. He was tested after developing a sore throat and mild cough.

The headquarters of Swiss football in Bern has been closed and staff who had recent contact with Blanc have received medical advice, the federation said.

Blanc attended the annual meeting of European football body UEFA on March 3, and raised the issue of consequences for shutting down domestic football with leaders from 55 member countries.

“Due to the coronavirus we are in a situation that could shake, for a part of us, our professional football to its foundations,” Blanc said in Amsterdam.

The day before Blanc spoke, Switzerland was among the first countries in Europe to suspend its national league due to the spreading risk of COVID-19.

Switzerland’s football federation will take part in conference call talks with UEFA on Tuesday to discuss plans for how or if to restart the European football season which is now in almost total shutdown.

On Saturday, Serbia’s football body said its president, the 42-year-old Slavia Kokeza, had tested positive for the virus.

Published in Dawn, March 16th, 2020