Serie A, all sport in Italy halted because of coronavirus crisis

Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte anunced suspension until April 3 of all sporting events in country, including top-flight Serie A football league, as Italy grapples with coronavirus crisis. final Serie A game before government anuncement 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 mess on piece of paper, urging fans: "Everything will be fine. Stay at home." 

A few hours later Prime Minister used similar words as he anunced a countrywide lockdown.

"I am going to sign a decree that can be summarised as follows: I stay at home," Conte anunced in a dramatic evening television address.

unprecedented measures limiting travel and banning public garings across country of more than 60 million people came after 97 more deaths took Italy's toll to 463.

measures include closure of schools, universities and suspension of sports competitions.

"re is reason why matches and sporting events should continue and I am thinking of football championship," said Conte.

"I'm sorry but all fans must take te of it, we will t even allow gyms to be used for sports activities," he added.

decree allows possibility of organising matches under international jurisdiction behind closed doors, such as ties in UEFA's Champions League and Europa League. Juventus are due to host Lyon in second leg of ir Champions League last-16 tie in Turin next week. Inter Milan are due to host Spain's Getafe in Europa League on Thursday while Roma welcome Sevilla a week later.

Draconian measures

Earlier Monday, Italy's National Olympic Committee (CONI), which has authority over all national sports federations, had recommended "sporting activities at all levels" be suspended until April 3 to help contain virus outbreak and called for a government decree to enforce request. decree, which goes beyond sport and provides for draconian new measures to combat coronavirus, will come into force on Tuesday throughout Italy, second most-affected country after China. Since Sunday, re had been growing calls to stop sports competitions and in particular Serie A, with lower football leagues already paused.

Sports Minister Vincenzo Spadafora called for suspension of Serie A while Italian Footballers' Association president Damia Tommasi tweeted that "stopping football is most useful thing for our country right w". On Monday several Italian federations, such as those in swimming and winter sports, anunced end of competitive activities, joining rugby and volleyball which had been already suspended. Serie A is w frozen after 26 games out of 38 in season, with eight-time reigning champions Juventus leading table one point ahead of Lazio. Inter Milan are third, nine points behind, with a game in hand.

Questions remain about getting season finished. At least three rounds of matches will need to be rearranged after April 3 before end of season scheduled for May 24. re is little room for maeuvre because of Euro 2020 beginning on June 12. And re are also concerns that Euro 2020, due to be hosted across 12 countries including Italy, might face an unprecedented cancellation. In 1973 a cholera epidemic which left 227 dead in Italy, including more than 170 in Naples, did t stop "calcio" in football-mad country.

Im credits: AP