AC Milan and Italy striker Antonio Cassano has been given the definitive go-ahead to start playing again following minor heart surgery.
A 10-man commission gathered by the Italian Sports Medicine Federation (FMSI) approved Cassano's return on Monday and Milan's own medical institute added its assent after about an hour of further tests Tuesday.
''Cassano is fit to play like all the other Milan footballers,'' Milan club medic Rodolfo Tavana said. ''This is the definitive OK. The coach will now decide when he will play his first game.
''I thank the whole club because they all helped me manage a very complicated situation. It was the first case of this kind in the world of football, as well as the first real problem in Cassano's career. I also want to thank the FMSI because it helped us a lot and allowed us to guarantee with maximum safety Cassano's health.''
Cassano was hospitalized after falling ill with stroke-like symptoms on the team plane following Milan's 3-2 victory at Roma on Oct. 29, then had surgery six days later to repair a small cardiac malformation.
He resumed training on his own in January and with his teammates on Thursday, though time is running out for him to make Italy's European Championship squad.
