Reports and matches behind closed doors. The epidemic due to the new coronavirus continued, Wednesday, March 4, to shake up sports competitions around the world, where the institutions are assessing the situation hour by hour, especially in Italy, the European country most affected by the epidemic with 3,089 confirmed cases and 107 deaths.
After having decided to close all schools and universities, the Italian government ordered in the evening that all sporting events take place without supporters until April 3 due to the epidemic of Covid-19, in order to avoid as much as possible gatherings and crowds. "All events and sports competitions of all types, whether private or public, remain authorized" But "In sports facilities used behind closed doors, namely in the open air but without the presence of the public", stipulates a decree signed by the Prime Minister, Giuseppe Conte. The second return semifinal of the Italian Cup, Naples-Inter Milan, was postponed, the day after the postponement of the first, Juventus-AC Milan.
In a decree, the government also asks sports associations and clubs to carry out "Appropriate controls to contain the risk of spread of the virus among athletes, coaches, managers and all accompanying persons".
On the rugby side, the epidemic also poses the question of maintaining the meeting between Italy and England as part of the Six Nations Tournament on Saturday March 14 in Rome. His match against Ireland, scheduled for March 7, has already been postponed.
Manicured cycle races
At the sporting level, Italy will host several cycling races in the coming days: the Strade Bianche near Siena on March 7, Tirreno-Adriatico from 11 to 17 and especially Milan-San Remo on 21. The Australian team Mitchelton-Scott, among its ranks the British Adam and Simon Yates, announced Wednesday that it would ignore all Italian races, as well as Paris-Nice, justifying it by its “Duty to protect the health and well-being of our runners and members”. The Dutch team Jumbo also announced that it would give up participating in the Strade Bianche.
In the United Arab Emirates, four teams (UAE Emirates, Gazprom, Cofidis, Groupama-FDJ) were officially placed in quarantine until March 14. The illness had caused the cancellation of the last two stages of the Tour of the Emirates. Consequently, "Lack of sufficient staff (runners and staff)", the French group Groupama-FDJ declared forfeit, Wednesday evening, for the Strade Bianche and Tirreno-Adriatico.
Questions about the Olympic Games and Euro 2020
Enough to fuel questions about the two biggest sporting events of the year planned for this summer: the Euro football tournament (June 12-July 12) and the Tokyo Olympics (July 24-August 9). The International Olympic Committee did not discuss Wednesday "Neither a cancellation nor a postponement" of the Tokyo Olympics in 2020 amidst the coronavirus crisis, said its president Thomas Bach, after a meeting of the executive committee.
Regarding Euro 2020, which is to take place in twelve countries, including Italy, in an unprecedented traveling formula with the resulting population mix, UEFA remains cautious and its president, Aleksander Ceferin, has sworn , tuesday, don't "Think about the worst case scenario". In France, the Professional Football League (LFP) has amended the pre-match protocols, removing among other things the handshake between coaches, referees and delegates. The Minister of Health, Olivier Véran, left the door open to stricter measures in sport.
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