Iran is mourning the death of two former national team football players who died from Covid-19 within a week of each other in Tehran.
Mehrdad Minavand, 45, and Ali Ansarian, 43, played professionally in Iran’s Pro League for Persepolis Football Club and were cherished by fans across the country.
The former teammates are believed to have contracted the coronavirus when they co-hosted an online television special on the derby match between Persepolis FC and Esteghlal FC, according to Iran’s state news agency, IRNA.
“As you may have heard in the news in recent days, Mehrdad Minavand has fallen ill with coronavirus,” a spokesperson explained in a video posted to the former footballer’s official Instagram page on January 21.
“He is in critical condition and his doctor tells us that its [sic] because he came to the hospital too late,” the spokesperson said.
Health officials at Laleh Hospital in Tehran announced the footballer’s death the night of January 27, about a week after he was first admitted to the hospital.
“Minavand’s condition was promising until 6pm, his oxygen level was over 90% and his kidney function and blood pressure were stable, but then suddenly his condition worsened,” Laleh Hospital ICU Director Dr. Amir Hossein Lotfi told Iran’s semi-official news agency ISNA.
