• Football, the FIGC has delivered to Spadafora updated protocol for resuming training
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  • In England the football championship starts again: Premier League on the pitch (behind closed doors) in June

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18 May 2020Not being played yet, but the FIGC keeps one last glimpse open to save the championship suspended due to the pandemic from Covid-19.

Pending any "further and desirable" decision by the competent authorities, the Football Federation extends the stop to the championships until the middle of next month. A decision taken on the basis of the provisions of the last Dpcm regarding "urgent measures to contain the contagion on the whole national territory" and having taken note of the suspension until June 14, 2020 of sporting events and competitions of all types and disciplines, in public or private places. 

This can be read in a note from the FIGC signed by the general secretary, Marco Brunelli, and by the president, Gabriele Gravina, and published today on the Federcalcio website. 

In practice it is a move dictated by the concern of not being able to complete the Serie A championship on schedule. Without a derogation, in fact, it seems difficult that Serie A can return to the field on 13 June as the Dpcm of 17 May signed by the Prime Minister, Giuseppe Conte, prohibits all sporting competitions until 14 June. The FIGC, taking note of the decree, suspended sporting activities and, without a derogation, the first useful date for starting again could be June 20.

Gravina and the whole world of football are hoping for a sentence in the statement that, regarding the suspension, says "pending any further and desirable decision by the competent authorities in this regard". In practice, if the contagion curve were to allow it, a departure on 13 June would not be excluded. So while the Bundesliga restarts, Premier League and Liga try to do it, Serie A continues to remain firm at the post also waiting for a protocol that will suit everyone.

Today, in theory, the group sessions should have started, but we will still have to wait, because only yesterday evening the sports minister Vincenzo Spadafora received from the FIGC president, Gabriele Gravina, the updated version of the protocol for the resumption of training in Serie A. The minister immediately sent him to the attention of the Scientific Technical Committee which should answer in a few days.

The date could be Wednesday 20, when the Federal Council is scheduled. The knots to be solved are now known: the risk of quarantine for the whole team in case of positivity, the obligation to withdraw for the teams and the responsibilities of the doctors. On the first two points in recent days there has been an opening of Minister Spadafora, given the protests and the objective logistical difficulties of some clubs. The last word, however, will go to the CTS.

However, even today most of the Serie A teams have continued with individual training in compliance with the safety measures: from Milan to Inter, from Naples to Rome. Training in small groups, however, for Juventus. The Bianconeri, with Parma, are among the few to have the structures suitable for self isolation, as required by the version of the protocol still in place. Juve trained like this at Continassa, where tomorrow Cristiano Ronaldo should set foot again for the first time in two months. Parma, on the other hand, went to a retreat in Collecchio, being able to take advantage of the boarding school of the youth sector and the rooms for retiring on the occasion of the matches.