Torino’s match with Atalanta has been officially abandoned, because the Granata are under quarantine, as President Urbano Cairo slams the ‘rushed and illogical’ new COVID-19 protocol in Serie A.
The game was meant to kick off at 15.30 GMT, but as the local health authority (ASL) ordered the entire Torino squad into quarantine until January 10, they could not reach the Gewiss Stadium in Bergamo.
As with Bologna–Inter and Salernitana–Venezia, the Lega Serie A refused to postpone the match for force majeure, so one team waited for 45 minutes until the referees confirmed the opponents had not turned up.
The Lega Serie A also announced a new version of the COVID protocol today, so as long as a team has 13 players available – including at least one goalkeeper – then the game goes ahead.
This means ignoring the authority of the ASL to order squads into quarantine and a legal battle is on the way.
“We have to safeguard the league, but also sporting merit. It’s illogical to just play the youth team, these measures were rushed and chaotic,” Torino President Cairo told news agency ANSA.
“Look at the Premier League. They had many more cases than Italy, but safeguarded sporting merit by postponing games and planning replays.
“It’s ridiculous that we had several weeks off for a Christmas break and didn’t work out the logistics in that time rather than wait until now.”
Serie A, Cairo contro il protocollo: ‘Misure prese in fretta e furia, non ha senso far giocare i Primavera’ https://t.co/BZ1r3LubIH pic.twitter.com/eIr7oUcWO3
— calciomercato.com (@cmdotcom) January 6, 2022
Tried to comment on a similar themed thread, but it didn’t go through. Cairo is right…how is this still happening…these protocols and contingencies based on regional ASL rulings should have been established last season!!! Some people thrive in chaos, but this is sheer idiocy.