“A fundamental step for all Italian football”: FIGC President Gabriele Gravina’s comments on the Government’s approval of the so-called ‘Restart Decree’, which contains urgent measures proposed by the Football Federation to mitigate the economic damaged caused by the COVID-19 emergency, as well as laying the foundations for the resumption of the entire sector. Gravina continued: “With the adoption of these important measures, for which I thank Prime Minister Conte, the entire Council and Ministers Spadafora and Gualtieri in particular, we can look towards the future with greater confidence.”

There are five resolutions in the government decree, which was released by the Council of Ministers today, that have a direct impact on the world of football: 1) the extension of contributory and fiscal payments to the month of September; 2) the suspension of rents and leasehold estates for sports facilities (including Serie A); 3) the recognition of unemployment insurance for the contracts of sports workers up to a maximum of €50,000 gross; 4) the establishment of the Fondo Salva Sport (Save Sport Fund) with a percentage share of the total collected for sports betting; 5) the shortening of the levels and duration of sports justice (directly the Sports Guarantee Board and subsequently the Tar and State Council) in the event of disputes generated by decisions that may be made, notwithstanding the federal law’s current regulations on the determination of the standings in the event of interruption to the 2019/20 league season and therefore on the determination of the staff for the 2020/21 season.

“Like all the other productive sectors and occupations of our nation,” the FIGC President concluded, “Italian football is paying a very high cost as a result of the Coronavirus, but thanks to the work done in collaboration with the authorities, and believing in a gradual recovery, we are laying the foundations to prevent the damage from becoming irremediable.”