Italian Virologist Speaks His Voice On Football Match Plans Without Spectators

JAKARTA - An Italian virologist (a branch of biology that studies sub-organisms, especially viruses), said that if the audience is allowed in an open concert or theater, there is no reason to prohibit football fans from entering the stadium.

At the time of group training every team should have been able to continue since last Monday - if medical protocols could be agreed - the issue of having a crowd in the stadium is far from certain.

"I don't understand why there is so much fear to reopen the stadium gates and vice versa when allowing open concerts," virologist Maria Rita Gismondo told Corriere dello Sport, Tuesday, May 12.

“The rules for ensuring safety, such as social distancing and wearing masks are the same between at the stadium and when attending the opera. In fact, the rules will be easier to enforce in a stadium than a theater.

"I would say that it would be best to postpone all of these events (be it concerts, theater or football). But if the theater opens, then there is no reason why football fans shouldn't be treated the same way."

Previously, the health ministry confirmed that if anyone tests positive for COVID-19 in a club, everything stops under Serie A protocol.

The government and the CTS (scientific committee) sent back medical protocol to the FIGC (Italy's PSSI), warning of changes before they allowed group training to resume on Monday.

The most important point is that if anyone in the group, whether a player or a staff member, tests positive for COVID-19 after group training has started, then the entire team must go into quarantine for 15 days.

This is not what the Bundesliga or the Premier League are proposing, which is isolating only those who test positive.

"Without a doubt, if anyone tests positive for COVID-19 in a club, everything stops," Deputy Health Minister Sandra Zampa told Radio Kiss Kiss Napoli.

“The quarantine became automatic and the whole season stopped. If you don't stop, the virus will stop you instead. Loving football means taking care of the people who work in it.

"The only reason we are talking about continuing Serie A is because of the economic impact."