Football: Italian players asked to strike
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.SERGIO CAMPANA, the head of Italy's footballers' union, has called for a six-month strike to protest against the handling of the doping scandal which has engulfed Serie A. Campana said the inquiries into the use of banned substances in Italy's first division had violated players' rights to privacy.
"The players are the first ones to feel indignation by this daily release of names and precise references to players and teams," Campana said yesterday. "There have been huge violations of privacy.
"If the results [of the inquiry] show that players voluntarily broke anti-doping regulations then they should be punished for ruining the game's image," Campana conceded. But he added that no names should be mentioned until prosecutors had completed their investigations.
The inquiries began this summer when Zdenek Zeman, the Roma coach, suggested two Juventus players had used illegal substances. Anti-doping investigators at the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) have also opened an inquiry.
The accusations have so far caused the resignation of the CONI president Mario Pescante and the firing of the chief of CONI's drug-testing laboratory.
It would not be the first time Serie A players have gone on strike. They caused an uproar in March 1996 when they failed to turn up for weekend games in protest at unfair working conditions.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments