THE nationwide lockdown in Italy has been extended through May 3 but Sports Minister Vincenzo Spadafora is urging the country’s sports federations to develop health protocols in order to resume activity on May 4.
Spadafora urges sports authorities “not to let these weeks be lost” and to urgently make plans for when the lockdown expires.
Previously, the lockdown was set to expire on Monday.
Players warm up in the empty Allianz stadium prior to the Serie A match between Juventus and Inter Milan on March 8.
The extension came as the number of people in Italian hospitals and intensive care wards eases and the growth in the number of new cases and deaths is narrowing.
Experts have said it will take a decrease in the number of cases to enter a so-called Phase II, allowing more freedom of movement to individuals but with precautions to guard against any new outbreaks.
Italy has suffered the most deaths of any nation, nearly 19,000, and is nearing 150,000 cases, hitting 147,577 on Friday.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
