Italy has ordered all major sporting events throughout the country,
including top-flight Serie A football games, to be played without fans
for one month in a bid to curb Europe's worst coronavirus outbreak.
The move, announced in a government decree, will also affect the Six Nations rugby international between Italy and England, due to be played in Rome on March 14, and the Champions League football match between Juventus and Olympique Lyonnais on March 17,2020
All schools and universities were closed on Wednesday to try to slow the spread of the coronavirus in Italy where there have been more than 3,000 cases and the death toll has reached 107
The ban on the public watching sports events, which had already been in force in three regions in the north but has now been extended nationwide, will last until April 3 at the earliest
The decree said that "sports events and competitions of any order and discipline, carried out in any place, both public and private, are suspended" but could go ahead if there were no spectators
It added that "sports associations and clubs, through their own medical staff, are required to carry out appropriate checks to limit the risk of spreading (the coronavirus) among athletes, technicians, managers and all accompanying persons participating."
Until now, Serie A has preferred to call off games in the affected regions rather than play them in empty stadiums and 10 matches have been postponed as well as this week's two Coppa Italia semi-final ties.
The move, announced in a government decree, will also affect the Six Nations rugby international between Italy and England, due to be played in Rome on March 14, and the Champions League football match between Juventus and Olympique Lyonnais on March 17,2020
All schools and universities were closed on Wednesday to try to slow the spread of the coronavirus in Italy where there have been more than 3,000 cases and the death toll has reached 107
The ban on the public watching sports events, which had already been in force in three regions in the north but has now been extended nationwide, will last until April 3 at the earliest
The decree said that "sports events and competitions of any order and discipline, carried out in any place, both public and private, are suspended" but could go ahead if there were no spectators
It added that "sports associations and clubs, through their own medical staff, are required to carry out appropriate checks to limit the risk of spreading (the coronavirus) among athletes, technicians, managers and all accompanying persons participating."
Until now, Serie A has preferred to call off games in the affected regions rather than play them in empty stadiums and 10 matches have been postponed as well as this week's two Coppa Italia semi-final ties.
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