Prof Leitch: Fans still unlikely to return to stadiums by October

Fans remain unlikely to be back in stadiums by October, says Scotland’s national clinical director.

It comes after Celtic called for pilot schemes to be trialled in August and warned Scottish football must not be “left behind” by England.

Test events will run in England from 1 August – the date Scotland’s top flight begins behind closed doors – with partial crowds planned from October.

“We’ve not set a date,” said Professor Jason Leitch.

“We’re very hopeful that in the autumn sometime we will be able to run some test events and then get crowds back.

“We want to do that. And if the numbers [of infections] stay the way they are, that’s the best way of getting to there.

“If the pubs opening doesn’t give us big numbers, then crowds are much more likely than less likely.”

Speaking to BBC Scotland’s Off The Ball programme, Leitch says “everything is pointing in a good direction” for the top flight to begin as scheduled on 1 August.

Only one Premiership player has tested positive for coronavirus in the 1,991 tests carried out in two weeks.

Original article 18.07.20 on The BBC Sport website.

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