Covid in Scotland: Sturgeon urges football not to 'abuse privileges'
- Published
Nicola Sturgeon says exemption from quarantine travel requirements for elite sport are to be reviewed
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has urged football clubs not to "abuse" the privileges they are afforded while the rest of Scotland is in lockdown.
Players and staff from Celtic FC are having to self-isolate after one tested positive for Covid-19 on return from a mid-season training camp in Dubai.
Ms Sturgeon said she had doubts about whether the trip was really necessary.
And she said "everyone, including football, should be erring on the side of caution" amid a rise in infections.
Scottish football below Championship level is to be suspended for three weeks in light of the current lockdown, with Scottish Cup and lower league ties to be rescheduled.
Top flight football in Scotland is continuing while most Scots are subject to a "stay at home" order due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Celtic's home fixture against Hibernian went ahead on Monday evening, despite the club having lost 13 players and three staff to Covid-19 issues.
Defender Christopher Jullien tested positive for the virus on return from the club's training camp in Dubai, with others including the club's manager Neil Lennon being forced to isolate as close contacts.
Ms Sturgeon said she was "disappointed and frustrated" that her daily coronavirus briefing was again being "dominated by football".
Celtic trained in Scotland on Saturday after returning from Dubai
She said she had doubts about whether Celtic's trip "was really essential" and whether rules were strictly adhered to, saying it was for the footballing authorities to decide if further action was necessary.
The first minister issued a warning to clubs that they must stick to the rules set out for them while the rest of the populace is subject to tight restrictions.
She said: "Football and elite sport more generally enjoys a number of privileges right now that the rest of us don't have. These privileges include the right to go to overseas training camps and be exempt from quarantine on return.
"It is really vital, obviously for public health reasons but also I think out of respect for the rest of the population living under really heavy restrictions, that these privileges are not abused."
Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross is an assistant referee in the game.
He said that at a time when people are staying at home football games were something many looked forward to.
Mr Ross said: "We don't want to see the whole of Scottish football affected by the actions of one club." He also called for financial support to be made available to clubs in the Scottish lower leagues and Scottish Cup who had had their games suspended for three weeks.
Celtic manager Neil Lennon is among those who are self-isolating
Ms Sturgeon said Scotland was currently in "the most perilous and serious position since the start of the pandemic", with a record number of people in hospital with Covid-19.
She said everyone should be doing their utmost not to add to pressure on the health services by following the rules.
She said: "This whole episode should underline how serious the situation we are in now is. Everyone including football should be erring on the side of caution.
"I know fans of other clubs feel very strongly that the whole of football should not pay the price for the actions of any one club, and I agree with that.
"But of course a situation like this does make it essential for us to review the rules - including those around travel exemptions - and that's what we will be doing. As we do, I do hope that Celtic themselves will reflect seriously on all of this."
Provided guidance
Ms Sturgeon cited photographs which emerged of players socialising in Dubai, but Celtic's assistant manager John Kennedy said these created a "false picture" and that there had been "minor slip-ups" at worst.
The club had previously claimed the government had given permission for the trip to go ahead, but Ms Sturgeon said it had only provided guidance to the footballing authorities on the rules.
She said: "It's not our role to give approval or not to what a football club is doing."
A statement posted on the Celtic website said that "the reality is that a case could well have occurred had the team remained in Scotland".
It added: "Celtic has done everything it can to ensure we have in place the very best procedures and protocols. From the outset of the pandemic, Celtic has worked closely with the Scottish government and Scottish football and we will continue to do so."
