Austria’s ex-swimming star Markus Rogan caused a stir in his capacity as the mental coach of the Israeli national soccer team. As the “Standard” reported on Monday, citing Israel’s Austrian trainer Willi Ruttensteiner, the 38-year-old left Israel illegally after submitting a positive corona test. “His behavior is unacceptable,” Ruttensteiner said at a press conference on Monday, according to the Israeli media.
At the beginning of October, Rogan was in action with Israel’s team in Haifa in the Nations League, the 1: 2 defeat against the Czech Republic was followed by a positive corona test by a team player and the two-time Olympic runner-up in 2004. Instead of quarantine in the team hotel in To go to Caesarea, he is said to have asked the Israeli Football Association for a special transport to his family in Israel so that he would not have to spend the quarantine in the hospital.
Wrong test at the airport
The next morning, however, he is said not to have been found in the hotel. Rogan is likely to have rebooked the flight to his adopted home Los Angeles, reported the “Standard”, citing several Israeli media. At the airport, he is said to have presented a negative corona test three days older. Rogan has not been available to officials of the Israeli Football Association since last Tuesday.
“That was a terrible mistake by Markus,” Ruttensteiner told journalists. “But we cannot judge him, it is still too early. We will sit down and discuss the consequences. He has to take responsibility for his behavior.”
Harsh criticism in Israel
Officials in Israel who were not named were less cautious in their reactions. “I’ve never seen an idiot like that,” says one in the Times of Israel quoted. Another says: “It has done incredible damage to the image of Israeli football.”
In any case, his engagement as mental coach of the Israeli soccer team has ended.
