Italy had already banned spectators from sporting events due to coronavirus fears, but the nation’s sports governing body went a step further on Monday by stopping all competitions entirely.
Daniella Matar, Italian sports correspondent with the Associated Press, reported on Monday that the Italian Olympic Committee had banned all sporting events in the nation until the end of March, including Serie A, the nation’s top football league.
BREAKING: The Italian Olympic Committee has suspended all sports in the country through April 3. That includes #SerieA obviously.
— Daniella Matar (@DaniellaMatar) March 9, 2020
As Matar noted, that does not necessarily mean that Juventes, which is currently in soccer’s Champions League, will necessarily cancel their matchup with Lyon. That match could take place outside of Italy, as the committee does not have control over UEFA events.
For everyone asking about #Juventus vs. #Lyon: the Italian Olympic Committee has no jurisdiction on international competitions – for clubs or country. Will probably go ahead in a neutral country. Although could still take place in Turin as no restrictions there #JuveOL
— Daniella Matar (@DaniellaMatar) March 9, 2020
It’s a drastic measure that comes after the nation banned spectators from sporting events until at least April 3. Similar measures have already been taken in the United States, as a D-III men’s NCAA Tournament game was played without spectators after a team involved had a student test positive for coronavirus on its New York City campus.
A suspension of sports in Italy does not mean a full cancelation, as it’s likely many of the major events will be made up if conditions improve and the pandemic is better controlled. But a nation banning all sports is a huge measure, one that may be replicated elsewhere as concerns over the deadly virus grow.
