FIGC President Gabriele Gravina is disappointed by the “apathy and disinterest” the Government seems to have towards football in Italy. “We can’t shut down until there’s a vaccine in 2021.”

FIGC President Gabriele Gravina is disappointed by the “apathy and disinterest” the Government seems to have towards football in Italy. “We can’t shut down until there’s a vaccine in 2021.”
The latest Government decree to ease lockdown restrictions has been greeted with anger and confusion by the Serie A clubs, coaches and players, as it allows citizens to go running in the local park from May 4, but not athletes to do the same inside a controlled training ground environment until May 18.
An emergency Lega Serie A meeting has been called for May 1, as they will try to convince the Italian Government to essentially copy the Spanish model for returning to training, which is exactly the same except for the ability to run within a training ground environment.
“Football helps to move extraordinary economic interests, but it is also a social phenomenon of great relevance to the general public,” Federation President Gravina told Canale Europa.
“In order to run zero risks, we’d have to wait for a vaccine. According to the scientists, that won’t be until spring 2021 and we can’t just shut everything down waiting for that to happen. Even if it was developed by then, how long before it is manufactured to such quantities that it is available for all? Are we meant to just suspend such a huge economic and social aspect of our country for that long?
“I am disappointed to see and be forced to fight the apathy and disinterest towards football. It saddens me to see such disregard for a sport that every weekend has 14 million people swept up, 12 different merchandising sectors, which gives hope and dreams to people, uniting creative intelligence with the passion of our citizens.
“If there weren’t the conditions to continue, we’d hold our hands up and admit defeat, but that is not the situation here. Our medical protocol is open to ideas and improvements.”
When the games do resume, they will have to be behind closed doors, so could they be transmitted free to air rather than pay-per-view?
“There are some clear contractual ties between the Lega Serie A and the broadcasters. We would hope a deal could be done, but we’d need a Government decree to overcome the contractual obstacles that are there right now.”
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