Still unexplained
The hunt for the origins of Covid-19 has for the past four years been a tangled web of politics, power struggles, and international finger-pointing.
Italian footballer’ union (AIC) has condemned the government’s decision to allow players to start individual training but restrict the resumption of team sports like football.
Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte announced that individual athletes could begin training from May 4 but asked team sports, including football, to wait for at least May 18 amid the nationwide lockdown that has been imposed to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus.
“The idea seems discriminatory, even illogical to let individual sporting disciplines enter training grounds, but not professional footballers and other athletes registered for team disciplines,” the AIC, headed by former Italian international Damiano Tommasi, said in a statement, as quoted by PTI via AFP.
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“The rule also risks aggravating and not containing the risk. For professional athletes this phase of training after such a long period of enforced stop is necessary to avoid injuries and be ready to start training in groups from May 18,” he added.
Football has been suspended in Italy from March 9, leaving 12 rounds to play in the Serie A league, which was originally due to end on May 24.
However, Italy’s Sports Minister Vincenzo Spadafora has hinted that the top-flight football, including Serie A, would not return anytime soon but admitted that “it would be much easier to end the season immediately”.
“Resumption must be gradual. Opinion polls would like football to stop here. I’m not a person who gets influenced by opinion polls. I don’t decide along the lines of common sentiment. It would be much easier to end the season immediately and the scientific community would agree,” Goal.com quoted Spadafora as saying.
“Carrying on the world of football is a very important thing for our country, but we must do it safely. Remember when Serie A didn’t stop? How many teams have gone into quarantine? The Italian Football Federation submitted a protocol and it was considered,” he added.
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