Egypt partners with Google to promote 'unmatched diversity' tourism campaign    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Taiwan GDP surges on tech demand    World Bank: Global commodity prices to fall 17% by '26    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    UNFPA Egypt, Bayer sign agreement to promote reproductive health    Egypt to boost marine protection with new tech partnership    France's harmonised inflation eases slightly in April    Eygpt's El-Sherbiny directs new cities to brace for adverse weather    CBE governor meets Beijing delegation to discuss economic, financial cooperation    Egypt's investment authority GAFI hosts forum with China to link business, innovation leaders    Cabinet approves establishment of national medical tourism council to boost healthcare sector    Egypt's Gypto Pharma, US Dawa Pharmaceuticals sign strategic alliance    Egypt's Foreign Minister calls new Somali counterpart, reaffirms support    "5,000 Years of Civilizational Dialogue" theme for Korea-Egypt 30th anniversary event    Egypt's Al-Sisi, Angola's Lourenço discuss ties, African security in Cairo talks    Egypt's Al-Mashat urges lower borrowing costs, more debt swaps at UN forum    Two new recycling projects launched in Egypt with EGP 1.7bn investment    Egypt's ambassador to Palestine congratulates Al-Sheikh on new senior state role    Egypt pleads before ICJ over Israel's obligations in occupied Palestine    Sudan conflict, bilateral ties dominate talks between Al-Sisi, Al-Burhan in Cairo    Cairo's Madinaty and Katameya Dunes Golf Courses set to host 2025 Pan Arab Golf Championship from May 7-10    Egypt's Ministry of Health launches trachoma elimination campaign in 7 governorates    EHA explores strategic partnership with Türkiye's Modest Group    Between Women Filmmakers' Caravan opens 5th round of Film Consultancy Programme for Arab filmmakers    Fourth Cairo Photo Week set for May, expanding across 14 Downtown locations    Egypt's PM follows up on Julius Nyerere dam project in Tanzania    Ancient military commander's tomb unearthed in Ismailia    Egypt's FM inspects Julius Nyerere Dam project in Tanzania    Egypt's FM praises ties with Tanzania    Egypt to host global celebration for Grand Egyptian Museum opening on July 3    Ancient Egyptian royal tomb unearthed in Sohag    Egypt hosts World Aquatics Open Water Swimming World Cup in Somabay for 3rd consecutive year    Egyptian Minister praises Nile Basin consultations, voices GERD concerns    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Racism, VAR likely to dominate in one-horse Serie A
Published in Ahram Online on 17 - 01 - 2019

With Juventus cantering towards an eighth successive Serie A title, racism, Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system and the battle for a single Champions League place are likely to hog the spotlight the second half of the Italian season.
Serie A resumes after its winter break at the weekend with unbeaten Juventus nine points clear of second-placed Napoli and an early chance to increase their lead still further.
Juve, who have taken 53 points out of a possible 57 in the first half of the season, host bottom-of-the-table Chievo on Monday while Napoli (44 points) have a much tougher fixture at home to fourth-placed Lazio on Sunday.
It is a mark of Juve's dominance that Napoli could well end close to the club record 91 points they set in finishing runners-up last season and still end up well short of the Turin side.
Inter, at home to Sassuolo on Saturday, are comfortable in third place (39) with a seven-point cushion over Lazio (32) who are in the fourth and final Champions League slot.
However, only seven points separate Lazio from Parma in 12th place with AC Milan, AS Roma, Sampdoria, Atalanta, Torino, Fiorentina and Sassuolo sandwiched in between.
Even if the title race has fallen flat, there is still plenty going on elsewhere, however.
The first half of the season ended amid a debate over the use of VAR and more racism in Italian stadiums, two matters which are unlikely to go away.
Inter's match against Sassuolo will be behind closed doors as they complete a two-match sanction imposed after their fans were found guilty of racially insulting Napoli's Senegalese defender Kalidou Koulibaly at San Siro on Boxing day.
Koulibaly, now the subject of speculation over a possible move to Manchester United, was himself banned for two games after being sent off for dissent, leading to suggestions from anti-racism campaigners that the victim was also being punished.
The head of the Italian football federation Gabriele Gravina said that Italy would now follow FIFA guidelines in further cases of racist chanting or money noises from the crowd.
"Following a stadium announcement, the match will be temporarily suspended and the teams will go to the centre of the pitch," he told Gazzetta dello Sport.
"If the chanting continues, they will go to the dressing room. At that point, the public security officials will decide if the match is re-started or called off."
Italian authorities have in the past been criticised for failing to act, often using the justification that only a handful of fans were involved.
VAR also remains contentious, with coaches and club officials at times berating officials for not reviewing incidents and at other times complaining that it is being used too often.
The VAR system was introduced to correct what soccer's rule-making body described as "clear and obvious" errors but Serie A referees have often carried out forensic frame-by-frame reviews of incidents, often taking several minutes in front of the pitchside monitor to reach a verdict.
(For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.)


Clic here to read the story from its source.