Italian government minister for sport and youth policies Vincenzo Spadafora has shared his belief that money was the reason behind the decision to postpone Serie A taking so long.
The Coronavirus outbreak, which has been upgraded to pandemic status by the World Health Organisation, has wreaked havoc in Italian football in the past few weeks with many games affected and the league ultimately put on hold for the time being.
The Italian Olympic Committee ordered that all sporting events must be postponed until at least April 3 due to the extraordinary circumstances and whilst others appeared quick to act, Lega Serie A did not and Spadafora believes he has sussed out the reason as to why this was the case.
“Hour after hour, we are facing an extraordinary emergency and the scenario can change and require new decisions. Precisely for this reason, I was perplexed in the face of the controversy of the last few days,” he began an interview with Milan based newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport.
“We have taken on our responsibilities and registered the great inability of football to decide. I would like to say that everything is clearer to me now. The rules have nothing to do with it.
“The government decree was used to protect the League and Sky for the risk of compensation. One of the two would lose out. It was all a matter of money and I won’t talk about the messages I have received from president’s of clubs who insulted me and wanted to play games.
“The first thing I want to say, is that the decisions regarding the whole country will obviously have its implications for sport and football. At all levels.”
At the moment there are two Serie A teams currently in quarantine due to Coronavirus. Juventus confirmed yesterday that defender Daniele Rugani has contracted the virus and although showing no symptoms, the Bianconeri are taking no chances and have went into isolation. Inter have also followed their arch rivals in doing so after they played them this past Sunday.
