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Serie A to resume on June 13, group training returns next week

Serie A clubs have voted to resume the league on June 13.  A videoconference was held where the ...



Serie A to resume on June 13,...
Soccer

Serie A to resume on June 13, group training returns next week

Serie A clubs have voted to resume the league on June 13. 

A videoconference was held where the overwhelming majority voted for a June 13 return ahead of June 20.

Earlier this week, Italian Sports Minister Vincenzo Spadafora said just minor tweaks were required to medical protocols that would allow for full group training from Monday May 18.

The Italian federation, the FIGC, have agreed to those altered sanitary measures.

Spadafora said today, "I received a letter from the president of the FIGC Gabriele Gravina.

"He informed me that the Federcalcio has accepted all the observations of the Scientific Technical Committee by adapting its protocol and allowing without other difficulties to be able to resume collective training from May 18."

Serie A has been suspended since the March 10 round of matches as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nearly 31,000 people have died as a result of coronavirus in Italy, but infection and mortality rates have dropped significantly since its peak on March 23.

Ten full rounds of matches will need to be played from June 13 to August 2, plus four games previously postponed.

A final decision on the league's resumption is due to come from Spadafora next week.

Lazio's chief doctor Ivo Pulcini is among those confident of a safe return.

"Is coronavirus on the wane? In my opinion, yes", he told Radio Radio. 

He's previously indicated that Lazio players will be tested every four days for coronavirus.

Pulcini claims the types of test will be rotated to avoid false negatives and false positives.

The testing of players hasn't run entirely smoothly in Serie A so far, at least to fully back up Pulcini's claim that the virus is dying.

Sampdoria's testing produced four positives last week, one of which was a player who had previously presented a negative result.

While three Fiorentina players, and three backroom staff members also tested positive for COVID-19.

 

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Coronavirus Covid-19 FIGC Fiorentina Italy Lazio Sampdoria Serie A Vincenzo Spadafora