Suspend Serie A season: Minister
Rome, March 8: Italy’s Sports Minister Vincenzo Spadafora called Sunday for an immediate suspension of the Serie A season due to the coronavirus outbreak that has killed 233 people in the Mediterranean country.
“The FIGC (Italian Football Federation) should consider immediately STOPPING Serie A,” Spadafora wrote in a statement on his Facebook page.
“It makes no sense right now, as we ask citizens to make enormous sacrifices to prevent the spread of the virus, to endanger the lives of players, referees, coaching staff and fans who will surely gather to watch the matches, by not temporarily suspending football.”
Italy has borne the brunt in Europe of an epidemic that first emerged in China at the end of last year and has spread to almost 100 countries.
On Wednesday, the league was ordered to play matches behind closed doors until April 3 as part of broader measures imposed nationwide to limit crowds and fight the spread of the COVID-19 disease.
Italian Footballers’ Association president Damiano Tommasi tweeted on Sunday that “stopping football is the most useful thing for our country right now”.
FRENCH CYCLISTS LOCKDOWN TO END Two French cycling teams shut up in a hotel in the United Arab Emirates for 10 days after a coronavirus outbreak said on Sunday that they were being freed from local quarantine.
Cofidis and GroupamaFDJ had been in lockdown in the country after COVID-19 cases led to the abandonment of the UAE Tour on February 27.
Groupama said on Sunday that four team members, Frenchmen Arnaud Demare and David Gaudu, Dutchman Ramon Sinkeldam and Lithuanian Ignatas Konovalovas were able to take a return flight on Sunday.
ATP, WTA ANNOUNCE MEASURES
The ATP and WTA announced measures aimed at combatting the spread of deadly coronavirus on Saturday, days before the start of the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells, California.
Under the new measures, players and mascots won’t hold hands when they walk on court. Ball kids at the tournaments will be provided with gloves and won’t handle player towels or drinks during matches.
Players will be instructed not to distribute used towels, headbands, shirts and sweatbands — which are sometimes tossed to fans as souvenirs. Players also won’t accept pens, tennis balls or other items to be signed.
WOMEN’S ICE HOCKEY WORLDS CANCELLED In Montreal, this year’s Women’s World Ice Hockey Championships in Canada were canceled on Saturday by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) due to the spreading global outbreak of coronavirus.
The IIHF Council agreed in a special meeting to cancel the event, set for Halifax and Truro in Nova Scotia for March 31 to April 10.