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CAIRO: The mayor of Mohamed Salah’s hometown in Egypt has insisted that social distancing was observed at a family wedding attended by the Liverpool forward before testing positive for COVID-19.
The two-time African footballer of the year has been isolated in Egypt since Friday after being tested when he joined his international teammates.
Salah had attended his brother Nasr’s wedding in the city of Nagrig and photographs show him dancing with a mask placed on his chin at one point.
Nagrig Mayor Maher Shtiyah told Egyptian media that the number of guests at the ceremony had been limited to between 60 and 70 people and only family members attended.
“There was a social distancing,” the mayor said. “Salah took off his mask only while taking photos. Even when we hugged him, we kissed him on the shoulder, not on the face.”
Mahmoud Trezeguet of the Premier League’s Aston Villa, an international teammate of Salah, was also at the wedding.
Salah also attended a ceremony organized by the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) in Cairo to celebrate his achievement of being the first Egyptian to win the Premier League and the Champions League.
EFA Acting President Amr El-Ganainy told MBC Egypt TV on Friday: “He appeared at the ceremony for no more than five minutes, entered a hallway alone, respecting social distancing and wearing a mask.
“He himself received the award … in accordance with Liverpool’s requirements.”
The EFA said a second test had confirmed Salah had coronavirus and was isolated at the team’s hotel, but was not showing any symptoms.
The team doctors are in contact with the Liverpool medical team. It does not show any symptoms of coronavirus.
Salah will miss Egypt’s African Cup of Nations qualifier against Togo on Saturday.
He could miss Liverpool’s next two games, depriving the champion of a player who has scored eight goals in eight Premier League games this season.
