Murrayfield test event for fans' return was 'excellent' - Prof Leitch
- Published
What was it like to be a fan at Murrayfield test event?
Scotland's first sporting event with fans since lockdown passed "without an obvious hitch", says the national clinical director.
Professor Jason Leitch said "everything went really well" at Murrayfield on Friday, where 700 fans sat physically distanced to watch Glasgow beat Edinburgh 15-3 in the Pro14.
Up to three test events at football matches are planned for 12 September.
"It felt completely safe," Prof Leitch told BBC Radio Scotland.
"I was five or six seats away from the next person - it was excellent."
Speaking on Off the Ball, Prof Leitch said a debrief took place after the match, with input from those involved in the ground as well as in transport and hospitality.
"The logistics and safety is what we were concerned about and it went off without an obvious hitch," he added.
"There were 22 times when the medical team had to go on the pitch. They had PPE and had to change their aprons every time. It went really, really well."
Football's Joint Response Group had requested "urgent clarification" from the Scottish government after it rejected Celtic's plan to allow 1,000 fans in for Sunday's Premiership game with Motherwell.
Asked why that was the case when rugby has been given permission, Prof Leitch said the key was taking lessons from the process and that the specific sport was immaterial.
"The ministers decided that they wanted to learn in an orderly sequence in case stuff went wrong or we hadn't thought of something," he said. "Every country is having this dilemma."
Scotland's national clinical director attended the Pro14 match at Murrayfield on Friday
On 12 September, three Premiership matches are set to have a few hundred fans in attendance.
Rangers' home game with Dundee United, and Ross County against Celtic are likely to feature, plus one other.
"No stadia is going to get the go-ahead until their plans are signed off," Prof Leitch said.
"It's not 'you sign off Ibrox and that gets you Fir Park'. Fir Park will also have to send us exactly how they will do the car parking and the hand sanitiser etc, so each stadia will have to prove it's safe."