Sports stars who have tested positive for covid-19 0:38
(CNN) -
Cristiano Ronaldo returned to Turin, Italy, aboard a private air ambulance, after testing positive for coronavirus on Tuesday.
Juventus confirmed on Wednesday that its star striker could continue his isolation at home, after health authorities authorized his flight from Portugal.
According to the head of the General Directorate of Health of Portugal, Graça Freitas, the transfer was allowed since Ronaldo, who resides in Italy, organized and paid for his own private transport.
Ronaldo had to undergo an evaluation by the health authorities before leaving Portugal and signing a declaration of responsibility.
He will be under observation and custody of health officials in Italy after his arrival in Turin.
"These are international procedures, they are fairly well defined, the member states of the European Union are obliged to comply with them, and we comply with them for both an anonymous citizen and a known citizen," Freitas told journalists in a daily briefing on the state of the pandemic in the country.
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Cristiano Ronaldo is 'fine, without symptoms'
Ronaldo, 35, played for Portugal against France in the Nations League on Sunday and Spain in a friendly last week.
On Monday, he posted a photo on social media of him sharing a meal with his teammates from Portugal.
After Cristiano Ronaldo's positive coronavirus test, the Portuguese Football Federation said he is "fine, without symptoms and in isolation."
He also confirmed that all the other players tested negative on Tuesday morning.
Ronaldo is set to miss his country's next Nations League game against Sweden on Wednesday.
He would also miss the next Juventus games.
These include a Serie A clash with Crotone and a Champions League match against Dynamo Kyiv.
Additionally, Juventus confirmed on Wednesday that midfielder Weston McKennie tested positive for the virus, which means that the entire team is isolated until they are tested again.
The Portuguese Football Federation and Ronaldo's representatives were not immediately available for CNN's request for comment.
George Ramsay and Martijn Edelman contributed to this report.
coronaviruscovid-19Cristiano Ronaldo
