UEFA already monitoring Coronavirus outbreak in Italy as Euro 2020 hangs in the balance

The Coronavirus outbreak has reached Italy, one of the 12 host nations of the Euro 2020 championships, and the governing body UEFA are currently monitoring the situation. Meanwhile, the Italian sports minister has claimed that they will have to wait and see how things pan out considering that the deadly disease is influencing authorities across the world to cancel sporting events such as the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. The Coronavirus outbreak in Italy has already caused 12 deaths, while a total of 320 cases have been reported in Italy itself.

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Italy hit with Coronavirus outbreak; Serie A matches to be played behind closed doors

The Italian government has cancelled sporting events in six regions of the country, while making an exception for Serie A football, which will be played behind closed doors, including the high octane clash between Juventus and Inter Milan. Sports minister Vincenzo Spadafora said that if data does not give any different indications, the ban on sporting events won’t be extended beyond March 2. A visitor from Lombardy, the worst-affected by the Coronavirus outbreak, was identified with the virus while on holiday in Sicily, and the areas of Tuscany and Liguria both reported their first Coronavirus cases.

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UEFA monitoring Coronavirus situation ahead of EURO 2020

The Coronavirus outbreak in Italy has put UEFA under concern with Italy being one of the 12 nations to host the UEFA Euro 2020. Rome, which has not been affected so far by the virus, is scheduled to hold three group stage matches and one quarter-final at the UEFA Euro 2020 in June and July this year. Italian Michele Uva, a member of the UEFA executive committee, said that they were monitoring the situation of a Coronavirus outbreak country-by-country and said the football should follow the path of individual countries. He further added that UEFA Euro 2020 would only be closed if the situation gets worse.

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Ireland's health minister calls for cancellation of Six Nations tournament amidst Coronavirus outbreak

Napoli's UEFA Champions League match at home to Barcelona on Tuesday was not affected, but Inter Milan's UEFA Europa League match at home to Ludogorets Razgrad on Thursday night will be behind closed doors. The club confirmed on Tuesday that all fans who had bought tickets would get their money back. The head of Italy's swimming association, Paolo Barelli, told reporters that he was worried about an Olympic qualifying women's water polo tournament scheduled in Trieste from March 8-15.

Rome will host a Six Nations match amongst Italy and England on March 14, with The Times reporting on Tuesday that tournament organisers were already anxious about the fixture. Simon Harris, Ireland's minister for health, also said on Tuesday that the Six Nations match against Italy scheduled for March 7 in Dublin should not go ahead due to the Coronavirus outbreak.

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