JAKARTA - Italian Sports Minister Vincenzo Spadafora asked Serie A clubs to start thinking about next season. France's decision to cancel the 2019-20 and Ligue 2 Ligue 1 seasons has allowed for similar movements across Europe.
Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte announced at the weekend that professional sports teams could resume training on May 18.
However, in an interview with LA7 on Wednesday, Spadafora insisted it should not be taken as an indication that competition is likely to return in mid-June. He then pointed to France as a path that might be followed by the other side.
On Tuesday, French prime minister Edouard Philippe announced that football in the country would not be allowed to resume until September, when the 2020-21 season would restart.
"I always say that continuing training really does not mean continuing the season," said Spadafora as quoted by Soccerway. "I understand some people say 'but it makes us uncertain.' It's better to be in uncertainty than we have to follow another country that has shut everything down.
"To be honest, I see the road to restarting Serie A getting narrower. Continuing training is an important sign but if I am among the presidents of the football team, I will think about next season.
"(Ligue 1) can encourage Italy and other European countries to follow suit."
Lega Serie A's governing body are scheduled to meet on Friday to ensure a continuation of the twelve rounds of fixtures to remain at the top flight, which has been out of action since March 9, as well as the Coppa Italia which stops halfway through its two-legged semi-final.
Deaths from COVID-19 in Italy have surpassed 27,000 and Spadafora wants football to pay attention to something bigger than the competition.
"I'm not looking for zero risk because unfortunately we can't look for it," he said. "I only ask that the protocol proposed by the Italian football federation is feasible.
"For example: are we sure that it will be possible to carry out some of the proposed tests? Protocol also applies to lower leagues that do not have the resources to implement them."
Spadafora added: "I can't say today whether the season will continue in mid-June. From now on to a month and a half, so there's enough time so we can hope the country is much better, but we can't have certainty. I beg the league and the federation to start thinking about plan B. "
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