Lazio medic: ‘I never said player failed cardiac test’

Lazio medic Ivo Pulcini denied telling Il Messaggero newspaper that a player, who some suggested was Milan defender Strahinja Pavlovic, failed cardiac exams in 2019.

His interview with the Rome-based newspaper sparked a firestorm and the start of a formal investigation from FIGC Prosecutor Giuseppe Chiné.

In the comments published, Lazio chief medic Pulcini had said a current Serie A player failed a medical in 2019 due to cardiac irregularities.

Several websites had checked the dates and suggested he was pointing towards Milan defender Pavlovic, whose move to Lazio collapsed in that period.

“I never said what was reported in Il Messaggero and I am waiting for them to publish a correction,” Pulcini told the QSVS television show.

“I would never dare talk about players who are at other clubs. I also never had to sign medical certificates of sporting fitness to those in Serie A.

“I am honestly shocked. All I did was explain to them that at Lazio we had taught the players basic first aid for emergency situations, like the one that happened to Edoardo Bove.”

This is because Danilo Cataldi, who is on loan at Fiorentina from Lazio, performed potentially life-saving interventions by putting Bove in the recovery position when his teammate collapsed during the game with Inter.

Pavlovic dragged into Lazio row

Pulcini was asked specifically about the situation that saw Pavlovic’s transfer to Lazio fail when he was still in Belgrade in 2019.

“I don’t remember, it was a long time ago,” replied the Biancocelesti medic.

“I will just say that I never had to sign certificates of fitness to participate in sport.”

That had raised some flags, because these are tests generally performed by the CONI (Italian Olympic Committee) and not the individual clubs.

Meanwhile, the investigation could still continue for the Federation prosecutor.

“It is all a misunderstanding based on comments I never made,” insisted Pulcini.

“Chiné has not contacted me, but my conscience is clear. If someone is playing in Serie A, it means he has been given the all-clear.

“In my career at Lazio, I only remember one player with cardiac irregularities, but he was Spanish. I was not referring to Pavlovic.”