Inter Milan coach Antonio Conte argues with referee Gianluca Manganiello after he was sent off during the Serie A game against Cagliari at the San Siro in January. - Reuters file
Rome - Was the coronavirus needed to say that players should keep their distance from the referee when they protest, the head of the Italian Referees Association (AIA) asked
Published: Fri 22 May 2020, 9:00 PM
Updated: Fri 22 May 2020, 11:06 PM
The head of the Italian Referees Association (AIA) hopes match officials will be treated with greater respect if and when Serie A returns following the coronavirus stoppage.
"I hope this virus will teach us to change our attitudes and have a bit more respect," AIA head Marcello Nicchi told Radio Sportiva in an interview.
"Was the coronavirus needed to say that players should keep their distance from the referee when they protest? It's an ethical issue that I hope everyone will assimilate."
The Italian government has said it will decide on May 28 if and when Serie A, which has been suspended since March 9, can restart.
"The referees are decisive, not having them would be like playing without the ball," added Nicchi. "The only thing we've been doing for months is to keep physically and mentally fit to make our contribution in the event of any league restart."