Rome (AFP)
Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte on Monday evening suspended the football championship as part of a package to stem the epidemic of new coronavirus that is hitting the country.
"There is no reason why matches and sporting events should continue and I am thinking of the football championship. I am sorry but all Tifosi must take note of this," said Conte at a conference. Press.
The Italian head of government has not directly mentioned the cases of the Champions League or Europa League matches planned in Italy in the coming weeks, or other sports.
In the Champions League, the Juventus-Lyon match is scheduled for Tuesday March 17 in Turin. In the Europa League, Inter Milan must welcome Getafe from Thursday and AS Rome will host Seville on Thursday 19 March.
A few hours before the intervention of Mr. Conte, the Italian Olympic Committee (Cuneo), which has authority over all Italian sports federations, had called for the suspension of "all sports activities at all levels" until April 3.
The Coni had already specified that a new government decree was necessary to be able to apply this request.
The decree in question, which goes far beyond sport and provides for draconian new measures to combat the new coronavirus, will come into force on Tuesday throughout Italy, the second most affected country after China.
Since Sunday, many voices have been raised to demand the end of sports competitions and in particular Serie A.
The Minister of Sports, Vincenzo Spadafora, had himself called for the suspension of the championship Sunday, a few minutes before the kick-off of the match Parma-Spal and a few hours after the publication of the decree taken by his government which authorized the holding of matches behind closed doors.
Damiano Tommasi, president of the players' union, also called for the cessation of competitions, as did several players, notably Mario Balotelli.
This Monday, the Sassuolo-Brescia match, counting for the 26th day of Serie A, was played as planned but behind closed doors. It was won 3-0 by the local team. It should therefore be the last before April 3.
© 2020 AFP