The Covid-19 outbreak in Northern Italy caused many towns to be quarantined. But, the Serie A has continued amid the chaos. Serie A has rescheduled many games, whilst other matches must play out behind closed doors.
Coronavirus Causes Serie A to Fall Into Chaos
The Incident
Political disagreements caused a series of chaotic events before a Serie A match between Parma and SPAL. The fear of further contagion caused the match to be suspended just before kickoff.
It was such a last-minute decision that the players were already in the tunnel, ready to walk out onto the pitch and start playing. The substitutes were already on the bench next to the pitch and had to walk back inside. The players then had to go back to their dressing rooms. The players waited in the dressing rooms for over an hour before the match went ahead with a revised kickoff time.
This incident occurred due to calls from Players’ Association President Damiano Tommasi and Italy’s Minister for Sport Vincenzo Spadafora to suspend the league. Tommasi wrote a letter to Italy’s Prime Minister and the Italian Football Association calling for a Serie A suspension. Spadafora backed this view and they continued to push for a suspension. In the end, they were rejected, delaying Parma’s game.
Sacrifice to Prevent Spread of Contagion
“This morning I wrote to Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, Minister for Sport Vincenzo Spadafora, CONI President Giovanni Malagò, FIGC President Gabriele Gravina, Lega Serie A President Paolo Dal Pino, Lega Serie B President Mauro Balata and Lega Pro President Francesco Ghirelli,” Tommasi wrote on Twitter.
“Stopping football is the most useful action for the country at this moment. The teams we should be cheering on are playing in our hospitals and emergency centres.”
Spadafora said: “It makes no sense at this moment, while we ask our citizens for enormous sacrifices to prevent the spread of the contagion, to risk the health of players, referees, coaches, fans who will certainly gather to see games, just to protect the interests that revolve around the sport. Other Federations have wisely decided to suspend football for the next few days. I think it is the duty of the FIGC President Gabriele Gravina to reflect again, without waiting for the first case of a Serie A player infected, before taking on this very serious responsibility.”
Football in Serie A will play out behind closed doors until April 3 due to the coronavirus outbreak.
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