Covid-19: Scottish Premiership continues, but fans return delayed again

The Scottish Premiership season will continue, but the phased return of fans from 5 October is now “unlikely”, says First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.

The indicative date for allowing crowds in stadiums had already been pushed back from 14 September.

Further pilot events are on hold with the situation to be reviewed again in three weeks.

It means Scotland’s Euro 2020 play-off semi-final with Israel on 8 October will be behind closed doors.

So, too, will be the Nations League visit of Slovakia three days later.

And hopes of having fans inside Celtic Park for the first Old Firm game of the season on 17 October have dwindled further, too.

Speaking to the Scottish Parliament, Ms Sturgeon said: “It’s important I indicate today that the route map changes with an indicative date of October 5 are unlikely now to go ahead on that timescale.”

Next week’s Scottish Open golf was scheduled to have 650 fans on both Saturday and Sunday, but it is unclear if that will still be the case.

The tournament, at the Renaissance Club in East Lothian, is due to be the first European Tour event played in front of spectators since March.

Earlier on Tuesday, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced new restrictions to combat coronavirus which could last for up to six months.

However, Ms Sturgeon – laying out how those would apply to Scotland and how they differed – said not all restrictions would necessarily be in place for that length of time.

 

More questions for lower-league football

 

There are also now concerns over the lower-league football season, which is due to start on 17 October.

That date was chosen with a view to having fans in the stadium, which would bring the revenue needed for clubs to function.

Speaking on Saturday, national clinical director Professor Jason Leitch told Off the Ball that crowds in stadiums are “slightly more at risk” after a rise in Covid-19 cases.

Motherwell manager Stephen Robinson says continuing to play without crowds was be “a big disappointment” and that football should be rewarded for the efforts it has made since returning.

“The protocols we have adhered to are above and beyond anything else – it’s above the NHS frontline staff,” he said.

“And football can give respite from the mental health side of things. In a world where things are complicated and strange, football can be that relieving factor, that little bit of joy and happiness.”

It’s also unclear what new restrictions might mean for testing protocols among clubs in the Scottish Championship, League One and League Two.

Current rules mean those teams could face each other without regular testing, but that may also be reviewed.

Sporting bodies in England have already written to the Westminster government asking for financial assistance.

Original article 22.09.20 on the BBC Sport website.

To view the original article click here

© The Fan Experience Company 2020