Chief medic Professor Gianni Nanni warns ‘if the COVID-19 cases in football continue to increase, we could see the Serie A season delayed.’
The medical protocol worked very well in Italy after the restart, with virtually no positive coronavirus tests once training had resumed in early June.
However, the players and staff have been on vacation for three weeks and returned to have blanket tests, with several cases springing up in various different clubs.
Chief medic Professor Gianni Nanni warns ‘if the COVID-19 cases in football continue to increase, we could see the Serie A season delayed.’
The medical protocol worked very well in Italy after the restart, with virtually no positive coronavirus tests once training had resumed in early June.
However, the players and staff have been on vacation for three weeks and returned to have blanket tests, with several cases springing up in various different clubs.
These include four at Cagliari alone, while newly-promoted Benevento are the latest to confirm a COVID case in their squad last night.
“We are worried, there’s no point hiding that fact,” Professor Nanni told Radio Kiss Kiss. He is the representative of Serie A medics in the FIGC Commission set up to organise and pass a medical protocol.
“If the cases continue to increase and are relevant enough in some teams to postpone pre-season training, then we could see the Serie A season delayed.”
The 2020-21 Serie A season is scheduled to kick off on the weekend of September 19.
“This is why we urge the players, in these final days of their summer holidays, to behave responsibly. I realise you cannot ban young players from having a vacation, but we hope they are prudent, respect all the safety measures and do their best to prevent contracting COVID-19.”
Cagliari postponed their pre-season training camp after four players tested positive, so the reduced squad is instead working at their usual ground.
They are not alone, as most of the Ligue 1 clubs in France have registered positive cases within days of their season kicking off, while in Spain there are also growing numbers of players with COVID-19.