The FIGC is lending its support to establishing the ‘Giornata di Festa dei Camici Bianchi’ (‘White Lab Coats Day’). National Team Head Coaches Roberto Mancini and Milena Bertolini and FIGC President Gabriele Gravina have all signed a petition proposing that, from 2021, 20 February becomes a day dedicated to doctors, nurses, pharmacists and those who work in hospitals. Proposed by film director Ferzan Ozpetek, the SIAE (Italian Society of Authors and Publishers) have launched an online platform to gather signatures.

So far, 13,000 people have visited the dedicated website (www.festadeicamicibianchi.it) to sign, including hundreds of people from the worlds of sport, entertainment and culture. Sergio Mattarella, the President of Italy, has also welcomed the initiative dedicated to those who have fought and continue to fight Covid-19 on the front line. 20 February is significant in that it’s the date when Annalisa Malara, an anesthesiologist at the Codogno Hospital, identified ‘Patient One’ In Italy.

By backing this initiative, the FIGC is once again showing its support for all healthcare workers, who, along with other essential public services staff and professionals, will be symbolically awarded the Heart Scudetto during an ad hoc event which will see Roberto Mancini and Milena Bertolini’s National Teams take to the pitch. The Federation, who have made the Federal Training Centre available to the Civil Defence of Florence for the emergency, have also supported the National Institute for Infectious Diseases at the Lazzaro Spallanzani Hospital in Rome with a direct donation €100,000. In addition, the FIGC has involved the Azzurri and Azzurre in a campaign that goes by the name of #therulesofthegame and aims to raise awareness on what behaviour should be adopted to contain the virus.