Rome - Italian footballers are to protest the one-year doping ban handed down to Daniele Mannini and Davide Possanzini by kicking off all this weekend's Serie A and B matches 15 minutes later than scheduled.

The players' union AIG gave the green light for the move Friday, the first time in 13 years that Italian footballers have taken strike action.

The players are protesting a decision by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Thursday that Mannini, 25, and Possanzini, 32, have their original 15-day suspensions increased to a year.

The pair were found guilty by the disciplinary committee (GUI) of the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI) of non-cooperation with anti-doping officials after a Serie B game of their club Brescia against Chievo. Mannini has since moved to Serie A club Napoli.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) filed an appeal with CAS against the original decision and called for a suspension of between one and two years.

"This decision is unreasonable and over the top," said Italian league president Antonio Matarrese while football federation (FIGC) head Giancarlo Abete said he was "astounded" by the CAS ruling.

Napoli have said they will contest the decision against Mannini, with club CEO Pierpaolo Marino calling it a "collossal injustice." (dpa)