The President of the Italian Football Federation Gabriele Gravina spoke about the Coronavirus emergency and the consequences it may have on the league and Italian football in general in an interview on the TV show ‘Dribbling’, hosted by Italian broadcaster Rai 2.
First, Gravina spoke about the risks that the games would have been postponed or that the league could have been stopped entirely.
“I would say it was a very low risk, mostly related to a rather heated moment of confrontation, but I would never have allowed such a blockade.”
The FIGC President then spoke about the meeting with the League leadership and what was focused on.
“I focused primarily on the general needs of Italian football and our fans, without forgetting the economic aspect linked to the needs of the various Serie A clubs.”
Gravina touched on the solution that was eventually reached, playing the games behind closed doors.
“We tried accepting Minister Spadafora’s idea to meet the needs of the Italians, in the hope that everyone could follow the various football and sports events in general from home. There is no doubt, however, that the event behind closed doors is a passing solution.”
The President discussed the comments of various club presidents.
“This is certainly a serious mistake, as it damages first of all the image of Italian football, then their interests too. The protection of one’s own vegetable garden, after all, is nothing more than the slow death of our sports system in general.”
The FIGC head then spoke about what actions were taken in regard to the amateur and youth sectors.
“All leagues and activities in our youth and school sector have been temporarily suspended.”
Gravina highlighted how professional players aren’t at risk, even if the youth and amateur games have been called off.
“The protection lies precisely in the numerical consistency. It is one thing is to control very few competitions with a limited number of players involved compared to hundreds of thousands of players involved in the amateur sector.”
The FIGC president spoke about Inter president Steven Zhang’s comments to Lega Serie A president Paolo Dal Pino on social media.
“I absolutely do not agree with his words. The expression is to be condemned both in words and in method and substance.”
Gravina distanced himself from Juventus president Andrea Agnelli’s comments that the Champions League shouldn’t be for clubs without European history.
“The Federation cannot accept such an idea, just as the principles on which the value of sporting competition is based cannot accept it. I myself have been the hero of a football fable that has made it possible, thanks to the sporting value, as Atalanta demonstrates today in the international arena, and represents a model that will certainly generate one of the most beautiful stories of Italian and international football.”
The 66-year-old Italian discussed what would happen if a player in Serie A got infected with the Coronavirus.
“We have to be realistic, there is a real possibility that something like this could happen. We’ll take all the necessary measures in those circumstances to ensure that our athletes are protected first and then we’ll see what solutions we can adopt in sport.”
Finally, Gravina discussed whether or not he is considering suspending the league until the emergency is resolved.
“We can’t rule out anything, let alone speculate things that we can’t predict today.”
