ZCZC
BSP-01
FBL-SERIEA-ITA-VIRUS
Serie A, all sport in Italy halted because of coronavirus crisis
ROME, March 10, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte on
Monday announced the suspension until April 3 of all sporting events in the
country, including the top-flight Serie A football league, as Italy grapples
with the coronavirus crisis.
The final Serie A game before government announcement saw Sassuolo beat
Brescia 3-0 behind closed doors in Reggio Emilia on Monday.
After scoring his opening goal Sassuolo striker Francesco Caputo held up a
handwritten message on piece of paper, urging fans: “Everything will be fine.
Stay at home.”
A few hours later the Prime Minister used similar words as he announced a
countrywide lockdown.
“I am going to sign a decree that can be summarised as follows: I stay at
home,” Conte announced in a dramatic evening television address.
The unprecedented measures limiting travel and banning public gatherings
across the country of more than 60 million people came after 97 more deaths
took Italy’s toll to 463.
The measures include the closure of schools, universities and the
suspension of sports competitions.
“There is no reason why matches and sporting events should continue and I
am thinking of the football championship,” said Conte.
“I’m sorry but all the fans must take note of it, we will not even allow
gyms to be used for sports activities,” he added.
The decree allows the possibility of organising matches under international
jurisdiction behind closed doors, such as ties in UEFA’s Champions League and
Europa League.
Juventus are due to host Lyon in the second leg of their Champions League
last-16 tie in Turin next week. Inter Milan are due to host Spain’s Getafe in
the Europa League on Thursday while Roma welcome Sevilla a week later.
– Draconian measures –
Earlier Monday, Italy’s National Olympic Committee (CONI), which has
authority over all national sports federations, had recommended “sporting
activities at all levels” be suspended until April 3 to help contain the
virus outbreak and called for a government decree to enforce the request.
The decree, which goes beyond sport and provides for draconian new measures
to combat the coronavirus, will come into force on Tuesday throughout Italy,
the second most-affected country after China.
Since Sunday, there had been growing calls to stop sports competitions and
in particular Serie A, with lower football leagues already paused.
Sports Minister Vincenzo Spadafora called for the suspension of Serie A
while Italian Footballers’ Association president Damiano Tommasi tweeted that
“stopping football is the most useful thing for our country right now”.
On Monday several Italian federations, such as those in swimming and winter
sports, announced the end of competitive activities, joining rugby and
volleyball which had been already suspended.
Serie A is now frozen after 26 games out of 38 in the season, with eight-
time reigning champions Juventus leading the table one point ahead of Lazio.
Inter Milan are third, nine points behind, with a game in hand.
Questions remain about getting the season finished. At least three rounds
of matches will need to be rearranged after April 3 before the end of the
season scheduled for May 24.
There is little room for manoeuvre because of Euro 2020 beginning on June
12. And there are also concerns that Euro 2020, due to be hosted across 12
countries including Italy, might face an unprecedented cancellation.
In 1973 a cholera epidemic which left 227 dead in Italy, including more
than 170 in Naples, did not stop “calcio” in the football-mad country.
BSS/AFP/FI/ 0812 hrs