Milan (AFP) – The Italian government has ruled out team training before May 18, leaving Serie A chiefs with their backs against the wall if they are to finish a season interrupted by the coronavirus crisis.
Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte on Sunday delayed a decision on restarting football despite allowing top athletes to resume training in a week’s time.
From next Monday, individual athlete will be able to resume training.
But for team sports, in particular football, it remains a waiting game, in a championship suspended since March 9.
So, while cyclist Vincenzo Nibali will able to resuming his usual training, Cristiano Ronaldo of Juventus will not.
Sports Minister Vincenzo Spadafora was cautious, warning: “It’s not a given that football will resume.”
“On May 18? We will see, for team sports, such as football, rigid safety protocols are needed,” Spadafora told Italian television.
Spadafora spoke of “shortcomings” in the health and safety protocol presented last week by Italian football federation (FIGC) officials.
FIGC president Gabriele Gravina insisted Monday they were “working to restart football safely,” warning of the damage not finishing the season would entail.
“We’re working tirelessly to define the best conditions for the completion of the suspended championships, responsibly planning all the steps to be taken, but also to define the various scenarios,” said Gravina.
For the Italian sports press the government’s announcement was “a cold shower” in the words of Turin-based Tuttosport.
“Two-speed recovery,” wrote Gazzetta Dello Sport of pushing a decision on team sports back, while Corriere dello Sport branded it “a joke”.
Lazio sports director Igli Tare said football clubs felt like they were being “discriminated” against.
The Roman club are second in Serie A just one point behind leaders Juventus and within sight of a first league title since 2000.
“It is news that I did not expect,” said Lazio midfielder Marco Parolo. “I don’t understand why we footballers with a suitable sports centre can’t resume our sessions normally.
“You can go running in the parks, but it doesn’t make sense if I have a suitable sports centre to do it.
“Formello (Lazio’s training centre) is equipped with five pitches. By splitting up, we can avoid contact and we can vary the schedules of individual sessions,” he said.
“We respect the indications of the government but all the conditions are there to be able to resume training safely.”
Italian football chiefs had already pushed back the end of the Serie A season from June 30 to August 2.
from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/2ScJXkg
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