Scottish Government rejects Celtic's request to play in front of fans
The club had hoped to use Sunday's match with Motherwell as a test event for the safe return of supporters
A request from Celtic to have their home match against Motherwell on Sunday played in front of a small number of fans has been rejected by the Scottish Government.
Celtic had put the game forward as a pilot for a return to live spectator sport.
But the Scottish Government said it needed “sufficient time for any test events to be informed by learning from other events”.
Around 700 fans will be allowed into Murrayfield on Friday when Edinburgh host Glasgow Warriors in rugby's PRO14.
A Scottish Government spokesman said: “A lot of work has gone on behind the scenes during these past months to create the protocols and testing regimes to allow top-level professional sport in Scotland to resume, without putting the public or others at unnecessary risk.
“We recognise there is disappointment that the proposal for a pilot on August 30 has not been approved but we are looking for suitable alternative dates for football pilots.
“We need to allow sufficient time for any test events to be informed by learning from other events - in particular the rugby match at Murrayfield on August 28.”
But the Scottish Football Supporters Association says rugby is being preferential treatment over football.
Spokesman Paul Goodwin told us: “football fans deserve to be treated equally alongside rugby fans or fans of any other sport.”
“I do think it is a bit strange that rugby has some sort of preference over football, given the size of the football business compared to rugby, and the fact Scottish football fans far outnumber rugby fans.”
Celtic manager Neil Lennon previously said the club was “collaborating with the Government” to try to bring fans back to Celtic Park.
Responding to the news, Motherwell boss Stephen Robinson said: “I don't know the ins and outs of it, so it would be wrong of me to say too much on it.
“We're just desperate to have fans back. If the Government have got a reason for doing it, I'm sure it's a genuine reason.
“They have supported everything to do with football so far and if there is a reason for not doing it then they must have a genuine belief that this is not right yet. But the sooner we can do it, the better.”
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon previously said sports stadia should be able to open for limited numbers of spectators by September 14, with pilots arranged before then.
On Wednesday, Ross County said they had “now started to undertake the review and planning for the return of fans to the Global Energy Stadium”.
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