Italian Soccer Federation Rolls Out A Plan To Resume Serie A Matches In June

The last game played in Serie A – Italy’s top-flight soccer league – dates back to March 9, when Sassuolo defeated Brescia with a whopping 3-0 score.

It has been 6 weeks since the league has been suspended due to the country going on a nationwide lockdown, in response to the SARS-COV-2 outbreak.

During this time there weren’t sign of concrete measures for resuming, with teams and soccer institutions quarreling over a feasible date to kick off again.

But this stalemate is about to end soon. The FIGC – the Italian soccer federation – has drawn up a plan to resume league football in Italy, Italian news agency ANSA reports.

A press release on the FIGC website reads: “The protocol, inspired by the principles of simplicity, feasibility and reliability, foresees a series of rules and recommendations for the identification and safeguarding of a ‘team group’, formed not only of the players but also of the coaching staff, doctors, physiotherapists, other necessary staff and anyone else in close contact with the players, who will all have been confirmed as negative in testing for the Coronavirus”.

The plan aims at resuming training from May 4, with games planned to restart behind closed doors towards the end of May or the beginning of June.

According to the protocol, soccer players will be tested regularly both with swabs and blood tests to check whether they are positive to COVID-19.

Teams will be confined in training retreats for the remainder of the season, so “if everyone tests negative, there won’t be any problems of distancing or the virus spreading” Gravina further explained.

As part of the measures, players will be divided into smaller training groups and will have to shower separately, as well as observing social distancing during meals, meetings and gym sessions.

The document – which has been sent on Saturday to both Sports Minister Vincenzo Spadafora and Health Minister Roberto Speranza – has drawn some criticism.

Last Wednesday, the president of the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI) Giovanni Malago criticized the plan, claiming it is “not convincing”. 

“What’s missing is a precise, clear, practicable and convincing plan, that takes into account also logistics, facilities and transportation”, he told in an interview with Italian newspaper ‘Corriere dello Sport’.

However, last Friday FIGC president Gravina responded to the criticism in an interview with the Italian broadcaster Radio Rai.

“Those proposing to invoke the cancellation of the season don’t like soccer nor Italians and want to take away the hope of future and restarting games. I’ll hold out until the end”.

“I hope everyone is able to play in their own stadiums. If it’s not possible then we’ll look at alternative solutions.”

“I say it once and for all: the championship must be completed, there’s time. Our entire system would benefit from us restarting” he concluded.