Montreal Alouettes owner Gary Stern announces he has tested positive for COVID-19

MONTREAL — Owner Gary Stern will be forced to miss the Montreal Alouettes home opener Thursday night.

Stern announced on social media he has tested positive for COVID-19. So he won’t be in attendance when the Alouettes host the Saskatchewan Roughriders at Molson Stadium.

“Real sad and frustrated today,” Stern tweeted Wednesday. “Just tested positive for COVID.

“Appears mild case. Can’t tell you how much I wanted to cheer on our team, first game, COVID-free. And no restrictions.”

Stern has taken to social media with enthusiasm this year in support of his club. Last week, he boldly predicted the Alouettes would “kill” the Toronto Argonauts.

He quickly apologized for the use of the word “kill” but stuck to his prediction. Toronto secured a 20-19 home win over Montreal last Thursday when David Cote missed a 21-yard field goal with 11 seconds remaining.

Although Stern won’t be in attendance at Molson Stadium, he made it clear he’ll still be cheering his team on.

“You know I will be raising the roof of my cave,” he tweeted. “Our house, we win.”

Stern is the third Alouette to have a positive test. Quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. won’t play Thursday following his positive test and team president Mario Cecchini tweeted Tuesday he’d also tested positive and expected to miss the home opener, unless he managed to have a negative test Thursday afternoon.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 22, 2022.

The Canadian Press