Governing Bodies
SERIE A PREPARES FOR MAY DATE RETURN
The players and staff at Serie A clubs should be tested for the coronavirus and then isolated in training camps when they begin preparing for the restart of the season, the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) said on Wednesday night.
The recommendation will be among the guidelines drawn up by the FIGC’s medical committee so that the season, on hold since March 9 because of the coronavirus pandemic, can resume safely.
The governing body is hoping that training can begin immediately after the current lockdown ends on May 3.
Italy has been one of the countries hardest hit by the outbreak and players at several Serie A clubs have been among those infected.
It was reported earlier this week that Juventus duo Daniele Rugani and Blaise Matuidi have recovered fully from Covid-19 and would no longer need to self-isolate.
“In order to restart football safely, it is essential at this stage to develop the best possible procedures to resume activity when the whole country starts up again,” said FIGC president Gabriele Gravina.
“We work without haste, but also without resting so that we are ready when the institutions give us the green light.”
The FIGC also advised all Serie A clubs to form a group, including players, technical staff, doctors, and physiotherapists, to ensure they are “completely negative” before isolating themselves in a summer-style training camp.
All members should be tested for Covid-19 in the 96 hours before the start of the camp.
Safety precautions also need to be taken in relation to the “management of the retreat with specific attention to training and the use of facilities, including the medical and physiotherapy room”.
The recommendation also suggested a staggered restart to the campaign, with Serie A going first, followed by the lower divisions.
The FIGC has said it is determined to complete the term, which still has 12 of the 38 rounds to play, although some clubs, like bottom side Brescia, want it to be called off.
But a leading Italian doctor has called the proposal to test the players to facilitate the resumption of the league “a far-fetched theory”.
Giovanni Rezza, the head of infectious diseases at Italy’s National Institute of Health, said that footballers risk infection – even if games are played behind closed doors – the moment they step onto the pitch.
He added: “If I had to give a technical view, sincerely, it would not be a favourable one.
“It’s obvious that politics will decide. But it’s a sport that involves contact and that contact could imply a certain risk of transmission.”
The uncertainty surrounding the outbreak also means it is impossible to predict when top-flight football in Europe can resume.
But Alberto Colombo, the deputy general secretary of the European Leagues, told the BBC that matches will have to be played in empty stadiums when it does.
“There’s no doubt games will be behind closed doors. But, of course, it’s impossible to answer the question, ‘When will we be back playing?’ Nobody has these answers.”
AFP, Reuters
World football governing body, FIFA, today clocks its 122nd anniversary, celebrating more than a century of overseeing and expanding the global game.
Founded on May 21, 1904, in Paris, France, FIFA began with just seven member associations — France, Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
From that modest beginning, the organisation has grown into the most influential sports governing body in the world, with 211 member associations spread across all continents.
Over the decades, FIFA has transformed football into a truly global phenomenon through competitions such as the FIFA World Cup, Women’s World Cup, Club World Cup, youth tournaments, and developmental programmes aimed at growing the game worldwide.
The organisation has also witnessed remarkable milestones, including the expansion of the men’s World Cup from 13 teams in 1930 to 48 teams beginning from the 2026 edition to be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
FIFA’s journey has equally reflected football’s growing influence beyond sport, with the game becoming a major tool for diplomacy, social inclusion, youth empowerment, and economic development across the world.
As FIFA celebrates 122 years of existence, attention is now focused on the future of the game, technological innovations, expanded competitions, women’s football growth, and the continued globalisation of football.
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UEFA has issued a lifetime ban to Petr Vlachovsky, a Czech women’s soccer coach who secretly filmed his players, the governing body announced on Tuesday.
Czech media reported that the coach was convicted in May 2025 and initially received a suspended one-year prison sentence and a five-year domestic coaching ban for filming FC Slovacko’s players in changing rooms, the youngest of whom was 17.
In a statement, UEFA’s Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body (CEDB) said it had decided to ban Vlachovsky “from exercising any football-related activity for life” following the appointment of an Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector to investigate allegations of potential misconduct.
“The CEDB further decided to request FIFA to extend the abovementioned ban on a worldwide level and to order the Football Association of the Czech Republic to revoke Mr Petr Vlachovsky’s coaching licence,” the statement added.
FC Slovacko did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.
Football players’ union FIFPRO welcomed the ban as well as UEFA’s request for world soccer governing body FIFA to impose an international ban on Vlachovsky.
“This outcome sends a strong and necessary message that abusive and inappropriate behaviour has no place in football and that safeguarding the well-being of players must remain a priority at every level of the game,” FIFPRO added in a statement.
Vlachovsky had also previously served as coach of the Czech women’s Under-19s team.
RELATED STORY: https://sportsvillagesquare.com/2026/04/08/outrage-as-male-coach-who-secretly-filmed-women-players-still-free-to-work-in-football/
-Reuters
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Southampton have been kicked out of the Championship playoff final after being found guilty of spying on semi-final opponents Middlesbrough, the English Football League said on Tuesday.
Middlesbrough, who lost 2-1 to Southampton on aggregate in the semi, have been reinstated and will face Hull City on Saturday in what is dubbed the world’s richest soccer match.
Promotion to the Premier League, even with an immediate relegation, is estimated to be worth in the region of 200 million pounds ($268.10 million) over three seasons.
Southampton, who admitted the charges, were also found guilty of filming training sessions involving Oxford United in December and Ipswich Town in April during the regular season.
They have also been deducted four points from the start of next season in England’s second tier.
“An Independent Disciplinary Commission has today expelled Southampton from the Championship play-offs after the club admitted multiple breaches of EFL regulations related to the unauthorised filming of other clubs’ training,” the EFL said.
“Southampton admitted breaches of Regulations requiring Clubs to act with the utmost good faith and prohibiting the observation of another Club’s training session within 72 hours of a scheduled match.
“The effect of today’s order is that Middlesbrough are reinstated into the 2026 play-offs and will proceed to the play-off final against Hull City. The final remains scheduled for Saturday 23 May, with the kick-off time to be confirmed.”
The EFL confirmed that Southampton could appeal against the decision and that “parties are working to try and resolve any appeal on Wednesday 20 May.
“Subject to the outcome, it could result in a further change to Saturday’s fixture,” the statement said.
‘BORO CALLED FOR SOUTHAMPTON EXPULSION
Middlesbrough had called for Southampton’s expulsion after having a training session at their Rockliffe Park site filmed 48 hours ahead of the first leg of their playoff semi-final with Southampton which ended 0-0.
The north-east club said they welcomed the decision.
“We believe this sends out a clear message for the future of our game regarding sporting integrity and conduct,” the north Middlesbrough said in a statement.
“As a club, we are now focused on our game against Hull City at Wembley on Saturday.”
Southampton were relegated from the Premier League last season and were struggling in the early part of this campaign until a storming finish in which they went unbeaten in 19 league games to finish fourth and enter the playoffs.
The south-coast club are the first to fall foul of the Football League’s regulation 127 — brought in after Leeds United were found guilty of spying on Derby County seven years ago, an offence for which they were fined 200,000 pounds.
-Reuters
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