Possible to re-start football season: UEFA medical panel

PARIS: UEFA's medical committee has said that it is "definitely possible" to re-start the football season which has been ruined by the COVID-19 pandemic for over one month.

"All football organisations which are planning the restart of their competitions will produce comprehensive protocols dictating sanitary and operational conditions ensuring that the health of those involved in the games is protected and the integrity of public policy is preserved," German professor Tim Meyer, chairman of the UEFA medical committee, stated Wednesday.

"Under these conditions and in full respect of local legislation, it is definitely possible to plan the restart of competitions suspended during the 2019/20 season," the German added.

However, Meyer's remarks have stood against the opinion from Michel D'Hooghe, the UEFA medical chief's counterpart from FIFA. The latter on Tuesday said he was "very skeptical" on the return of the campaign in an interview with BBC.

"The world is not ready for competitive football, I hope this can change very quickly and I sincerely hope that. Today you need more patience, " D'Hooghe said.

Italian sports minister Vincenzo Spadafora warned Wednesday that Italy may have to follow France and the Netherlands to call an end to Serie A because of the coronavirus pandemic.