Players’ Association President Damiano Tommasi is furious at the latest FIGC ruling. ‘It means clubs might not have to pay their players until August!’
Today’s meeting with the Italian Football Federation made several decisions regarding the season for Serie A, B and C.
Although the headlines were taken by the dates and potential for play-offs, there were other matters at hand too, including some financial aids for clubs struggling during the coronavirus pandemic.
Players’ Association President Damiano Tommasi is furious at the latest FIGC ruling. ‘It means clubs might not have to pay their players until August!’
Today’s meeting with the Italian Football Federation made several decisions regarding the season for Serie A, B and C.
Although the headlines were taken by the dates and potential for play-offs, there were other matters at hand too, including some financial aids for clubs struggling during the coronavirus pandemic.
Clubs have to prove they’ve paid their salaries in full before being allowed to register for the new season in Italy, but because of the crisis, those rules are being relaxed.
It ties in with the threat from many clubs to not pay salaries for March and April, as there were no games during that period.
“Do you know what that really means?” asked AIC President Tommasi to La Gazzetta dello Sport.
“It means that we were playing until March 15, that the players worked with fitness trainers to a schedule throughout the lockdown and now might not get paid for any of it. In fact, if there’s an appeal, the clubs might not have to pay their players until August!
“I am disappointed and worried. People are making these decisions with conference calls, but they’re not the ones stepping on to the pitch. This is how we are repaid.
“The businessmen in football are asking for money from everyone – UEFA, FIFA, the Government – to ensure they don’t have to pay their players. How can we be happy with that?
“We’ll analyse the situation tomorrow.”
AIC vice-president Umberto Calcagno gave a similar interview to news agency ANSA.
“We are surprised and extremely disappointed by the new rulings, which would allow clubs from Serie A to C to pay just one month’s salary, and that would be net too, from now until the end of the season.
“We’ll evaluate it with the players, but we are seriously worried for Serie B and C squads. This time, I think there might be a real protest.
“All put together, what these rules mean is that players trained during the lockdown at home in March, follow the schedule provided by the fitness coach, go back to training, play until August 20 and have the very real risk they’ll get just one month’s salary in five-and-a-half months.”