Lega Serie A is set to introduce more clear and explicit COVID protocols to avoid confusion as to how to proceed when matches are potentially compromised by cases in squads.
This according to today’s print edition of Milan-based newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, who report that the clubs will meet to approve the new protocols aimed at avoiding postponements and getting through the fixture schedule.
Last Thursday saw some confusion as four Serie A matches had to be postponed due to rulings by regional ASL health authorities which prohibited squads from travelling or participating, including Inter’s away match to Bologna.
There was no protocol in place to officially determine that the matches would be postponed, so the league determined that the teams not prohibited from attending due to COVID cases in their squad would have to show up to the stadiums.
The new protocols are set to include protocols limiting the ability of ASL authorities to dictate squad decisions, and “soft” quarantine rules for players who have been in contact with infected persons.
The threshold for postponing a match will be set at 35% of one team’s squad testing positive for COVID, and this will only include senior players and not Primavera players.
Players will still be able to train and play if they are in contact with someone who has tested positive, per the new guidelines, while the period of self-isolation for asymptomatic players will be reduced from five days to three.
