Government spokesman Marios Pelekanos on Tuesday confirmed that the government gave permission for a direct flight to Istanbul to transport a Covid-positive athlete home.

According to Turkish Cypriot paper Yeni Duzen, Cypriot authorities gave Turkey permission to charter an ambulance plane to Larnaca airport to take a member of the Turkish national handball team back home.

Asked to comment on the story, Pelekanos told the Cyprus News Agency that the player in question tested positive for coronavirus and entered isolation according to the relevant protocols.

The government spokesman confirmed that the government gave Turkish authorities the okay to send an ambulance plane to transport him back to Turkey.

This was the first direct flight connecting Turkey and the Republic of Cyprus since 1974.