When rugby takes drastic measures, football shines, for the moment, by a certain… immobility. As the coronavirus pandemic spreads in Italy, the next match of the Six Nations Rugby Tournament between Ireland and Italy, scheduled for March 7, has just been postponed.
For its part, UEFA has decided not to decide anything about the Champions League match scheduled for Wednesday at Groupama Stadium between Lyon and Juventus Turin. It is, in any case, perhaps already too late since several thousand transalpine supporters, who have come to encourage Juventus, have arrived or are on their way to Lyon.
Gérard Collomb will not wear a mask
Informed of the decision concerning Ireland-Italy, a UEFA spokesman cautiously entrenched himself… behind the French authorities. "UEFA listens to what the national authorities tell it," it is said. We have had no requests to cancel the match or hold it behind closed doors. So there is no reason to decide to cancel a game ourselves. However, there was a decision that was made for the Inter Milan-Ludogorets match. "
Indeed, UEFA decided on Tuesday that the Europa League meeting, scheduled for Thursday at 9 p.m. at the San Siro stadium, would be held behind closed doors. "This is a request from the Italian authorities," said UEFA.
In Lyon, nobody wants to take the initiative to either cancel the match or deny entry to Italian supporters. "If a decision has to be made, it must come from the Prime Minister," explains Gérard Collomb, the city's mayor, who said he would attend the match "without wearing a mask".
