Serbian footballer Aleksandar Prijovic sentenced to three months at home for flouting coronavirus curfew

Prijovic was arrested at a hotel lobby bar in Belgrade on Friday
AFP via Getty Images
Tom Doyle5 April 2020

Serbian footballer Aleksandar Prijovic has been sentenced to three months' home detention for flouting a coronavirus curfew in Belgrade.

Prijovic, 29, who plays for Saudi Arabian club Al-Ittihad, was arrested along with 19 others for gathering at a hotel lobby bar in Belgrade on Friday.

Serbia currently has a 5pm-5am lockdown order in place in an attempt to combat the Covid-19 pandemic, with those who violate the measures facing up to three years in jail.

Prijovic pleaded guilty to violating the curfew at a video link trial in Belgrade on Saturday, with the striker receiving a punishment of three months of home detention.

Prijovic is not the first Serbian footballer to have violated the lockdown measures, with Real Madrid's Luka Jovic facing criticism for his actions.

He is the second Serbian soccer player to be caught violating the stay-at-home orders after Real Madrid striker Luka Jovic flouted the state of emergency decree when he attended his girlfriend's birthday party at a Belgrade cafe last month.

The 22-year-old Real Madrid striker returned to Serbia from Spain in mid-March and was reportedly seen on the streets of Belgrade, despite the country imposing a 28-day self-isolation for all those who have returned from countries battling the virus.

Getty Images

Jovic apologised on Instagram, though Serbian president Aleksandar Vucic warned the forward he would be arrested if he left his apartment again during the lockdown.

Additional reporting by AP.

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