Italian sports minister Spadafora says the Serie A show will go on, for now

October 6 – Italy’s sport minister says the season will not be halted in the wake of the Juventus-Napoli fixture, one of the biggest in the Italian calendar, being abandoned due to an apparent conflict over implementation of COVID-19 health rules.

Napoli failed to turn up for the match in Turin, saying their local health authority (ASL) would not allow them to leave Naples after two players tested positive for COVID-19.

Serie A, however, refused to postpone the match, leaving Juventus at the stadium waiting.

Spadafora said there was no reason at this stage to curtail the season.

“We are not at risk of stopping the championship,” he told reporters after meeting Italian federation boss Gabriele Gravina.

“Everyone must follow the strict rules of the protocol, if the health situation changes, we as a government are also ready to change”.

Napoli have nevertheless said they will challenge any decision to award the match to Juventus with a 3-0 scoreline, which could lead to a lengthy legal battle.

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