Nicchi (AIA): “Serie A may resume without VAR”

The President of the Referees’ Association (AIA), Marcello Nicchi is looking forward to the day when Serie A can resume, even without VAR. “I hope after all this, people can realize the beauty of sport.” The latest statistics from the Government suggest Italy has passed the peak of the coronavirus pandemic and is beginning the downward trajectory of the curve. This means that the country can begin to prepare for the next phase, including the gradual reintroduction of Serie A football, albeit most likely behind closed doors. “I never thought that I’d be in a situation like this, but the officials are studying, keeping up to date and taking quizzes we provided as training exercises,” AIA President Nicchi told TMW Radio. “Our association has not emerged unscathed from this pandemic, as we have lost 10 people. None of them were current referees, but we must all remain cautious and not get swept up in easy enthusiasm until there is more certainty. When football does resume, we have to remember referees are most at risk, as they have to travel all over Italy and meet complete strangers. We just ask to be protected, as we don’t want whingers, but nor should we have to be heroes. There are conditions to ensure safety and we must take them into account. While there are still 600 people dying per day, we cannot talk about sport. I hope that after all this, people can realize the beauty of sport, how much we missed it and why we need to be kind to each other. If we return and there’s still violence or racism in the stands that would chill me to the bone.” (Source: Football Italia) 

Serie A matches may have to be played without VAR when action resumes following the coronavirus outbreak because the cramped conditions where video officials work could be a health problem, the head of Italy’s referees’ association (AIA) said Monday. “In some cases for the video assistants, we use narrow spaces, such as vans, where the referees work in a space of two square metres, without a safe distance between them and other workers,” Marcello Nicchi told RAI television. “I hope this doesn’t happen but the risk is there, I hope they give us sanitized spaces.” Nicchi added that referees had been forgotten amid the debate over if and when Serie A, which has been suspended since March 9, could re-start. “I haven’t heard any serious proposals regarding the protection of the referees,” he said. “The referees are ready, they are respecting the rules, they are working in video conferences with the technical bodies, they are keeping fit indoors but, before moving on to phase two, we will have to worry about them too.” He said that referees were as much at risk as anyone else. “They travel alone on trains and planes, going through airports and stations... If we start again, I will want to know what guarantees are offered.” (Source: Reuters)