Sithole the 1st SA footballer reportedly hit by Covid-19

Portugal-based midfielder Sphephelo Sithole on Wednesday reportedly became the first South African footballer to test positive for Covid-19.

Portuguese side Belenenses released a statement confirming that a player from the Under-23 side had tested positive for the corona­virus.

"We inform that, in the context of the preparation for the resumption of work, a player from the under-23 team of Belenenses SAD has had a positive result in the Covid-19 detection test,” the official statement read.

"The protocols developed for this purpose are being observed and we hope for a quick recovery of the player, who had no symptoms of the disease.”

Reports in Portugal later confirmed the identity of the player as 21-year-old Sithole, who made 24 appearances for the club’s Under-23 team this season before promotion to the first team.

Sithole is a graduate of the famed KZN Academy based in KwaZulu-Natal and moved to Portugal in 2017 to join the Sporting academy before later moving to Belenenses.

The club added that despite testing positive, the midfielder was asymptomatic and was displaying no symptoms of the virus.

Belenenses, who sit 13th in the Primeira Liga, have returned to individual training following two months of restrictions.

- Compiled by Baden Gillion