Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte on Monday announced the suspension until April 3 of all sporting events in the country, including the...
Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte on Monday announced the suspension until April 3 of all sporting events in the country, including the top-flight Serie A football league, as Italy grapples with the coronavirus crisis.
The final Serie A game before government announcement saw Sassuolo beat Brescia 3-0 behind closed doors in Reggio Emilia on Monday. After scoring his opening goal Sassuolo striker Francesco Caputo held up a handwritten message on piece of paper, urging fans: “Everything will be fine. Stay at home.”
A few hours later the Prime Minister used similar words as he announced a countrywide lockdown.
“I am going to sign a decree that can be summarised as follows: I stay at home,” Conte announced in a dramatic evening television address.
The unprecedented measures limiting travel and banning public gatherings across the country of more than 60 million people came after 97 more deaths took Italy’s toll to 463. The measures include the closure of schools, universities and the suspension of sports competitions.
“There is no reason why matches and sporting events should continue and I am thinking of the football championship,” said Conte.
“I’m sorry but all the fans must take note of it, we will not even allow gyms to be used for sports activities,” he added.
The decree...
