Positive player cases not key factor in return of fans says First Minister
Last updated 16th Sep 2020
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has told Scottish football that positive Covid-19 cases in players will not be the key factor in deciding whether fans can attend games again.
Sturgeon and Scotland's national clinical director, Jason Leitch, addressed the situation at their press briefing after Hamilton Accies reported three positive cases.
League Two side Annan later confirmed four of their players had tested positive following a pre-season training session, while Dundee United defender Mark Connolly was charged with two Scottish Football Association disciplinary offences after allegations he breached protocols.
Both Aberdeen and Ross County hosted about 300 fans in their home Scottish Premiership games on Saturday despite provisional plans for a return of supporters from September 14 being delayed by at least three weeks. And no further test events will take place this weekend.
When asked what effect the Hamilton cases might have, Sturgeon said: "We paused the move to having spectators back in stadia last week as part of the overall pause in the route map given the recent rise in cases. We will review that again at the next review point.
"I wouldn't say that having some positive cases, which Jason says is a sign the regime in football is working and identifying cases, would necessarily be the deciding factor there. It would be one of many factors, not least the overall situation.
"There are many countries across the world that are pulling back again on attendances at big sporting events.
"That's just the nature unfortunately of what we are dealing with right now.''
Professor Leitch added: "Individual players getting positive cases through no rule breaches doesn't seem to me to affect that trajectory.
"What does is increased prevalence of the virus in the community. That definitely affects that trajectory and we will have to be very, very careful.
"The other thing is the quality of the test events. We are expecting a report later this week on how those two test events went on Saturday.
"My early indications are they went very well, everybody followed the rules, everybody came in and left and transportation worked.
"And that progressively will help us make choices as we advise the First Minister about what to do about the return of sporting crowds.''
Aberdeen had hoped to welcome more fans when they host Motherwell on Sunday but they earlier confirmed there would be no trials this weekend.
A club statement added: "We have received resoundingly positive feedback from both the supporters in attendance and the authorities following the test match at Pittodrie on Saturday and we will continue to work tirelessly behind the scenes to build upon this experience and to help shape any future events.
"As a club we'd like to take this opportunity to thank the supporters who were with us at Pittodrie last weekend and extend our gratitude for their co-operation and willingness to ensure the matchday was a safe environment for all.''
Ross County operations manager David O'Connor declared his club's test event against Celtic a success.
He said on the club's Twitter account: "Because we communicated what the Covid-19 requirements were for, the supporters who were coming, from the minute they arrived in a staged, orderly fashion through the car parks to the temperature testing right through to the admission in he ground, I thought the whole operation was first class.
"Whilst a lot of the thanks must go to staff at the club for making that work, a great deal of congratulations must go to the supporters.
"I think we have to build on that. We have got a number of learning points, we will submit a report to the SPFL and the government, but we need to take this forward incrementally in manageable steps.''