Health scare for North Macedonia ahead of trip to Vienna as virus sidelines half the squad
A viral illness has struck about half the squad ahead of Sunday’s EuroBasket pre-qualifier in Vienna; several players are receiving IV treatment.
Published on 27.08.2026 at 12:54 — North Macedonia's senior men's basketball team faces a health setback one day before it flies to Vienna for the opening game of the second pre-qualifying phase for the European Championship. The opponents in the first round are Austria; the match is scheduled for Sunday in Vienna with a 16:05 start.
On the eve of departure the national camp reported a wave of illness: roughly half of the roster is affected by a viral infection, leaving coach Jose Maria Berocal with a significantly reduced pool of players for the final preparations.
The players confirmed as dealing with the illness include Nenad Dimitrijevic, Adem Mekic, Stojan Gjurovski, Viktor Efremovski, Petar Boshalevski, Kristijan Nikolov… The medical staff are working intensively and have administered intravenous fluids to multiple players to help them recover in time for the game.
Team response and next steps
Team doctors continue to monitor symptoms and provide treatment inside the camp; staff say efforts are focused on stabilising those affected so they can travel and, if possible, compete. The coaching and medical teams will assess each player's fitness level before the final call on the travelling roster.
Travel to Vienna is scheduled for tomorrow afternoon — 28 August 2026 — and the delegation plans to depart as arranged, pending the medical evaluations. The situation remains fluid and the final lineup will be confirmed only after the last health checks.
Photo: press material from the event
