Celtic, Rangers, and the rest of Scottish football has been given another warning by Nicola Sturgeon after reports of a potential Covid breach at Ibrox.
The Athletic reported last night that as many as four Ibrox players were being invesitgated regarding a potential breaching of Covid guidelines. Rangers themselves admitted on Twitter that an internal investigation was underway.
Back in August, Sturgeon gave Scottish football a “yellow card”. This came after Boli Bolingoli went to Spain and failed to quarantine upon his return. It was also combined with eight Aberdeen players also breaching restrictions by going on a night out. Back then, the First Minister stated that the next incident would result in a “red” [Daily Record].
However, today she’s been reacting to the potential breaking of regulations by a select few at Ibrox. And even though the facts have still to become clear, Sturgeon sent out another warning to Scotland’s most popular sport.
Speaking at her daily briefing, the First Minister said: “Let me be clear: whenever football rears its head in this situation I get emails from people suggesting that I’m somehow in favour of or against one team or the other – that’s not true. I don’t care what club it is that’s breaching the rules, if you’re breaching the rules you’re in the wrong.
“So can I say to football, and sport generally: please, make sure your house is in order. It shouldn’t take me standing here to say to highly paid footballers that you’ve got to obey the rules. It really shouldn’t take that.
“The fact that it does is hugely frustrating to me and I don’t care whether it’s Celtic, Rangers or any other club. It’s not on, so please stop breaking the rules.”
Celtic, Rangers, and everyone else need to stick by Sturgeon comments
Regardless of how you feel about the Scottish Government’s handling of football, you can’t disagree with the First Minister here. And believe me, I’ve certainly been one to slam her decision-making regarding football during the pandemic.
But she’s spot on here. We’re clearly at an extremely important period in our fight against the virus. The last thing youngsters or anyone who looks up to footballers needs to see is their heroes breaking the rules. These things matter and it does indeed have an influence over a select number of people and their own choices.
Outside of our early-season breaches, Scottish football has done well this year. There has been the odd outbreak – just ask Kilmarnock and St Mirren – but generally the season has been able to plough on without an overwhelming level of disruption.
Celtic will forever look back to the Boli incident and feel it was costly in our title-chase. It certainly played its part, even if it isn’t the over-riding reason for our failure to secure a 10th consecutive Premiership title.
And as we close in on the final straight this term, it’s more important than ever for footballers to stick by the government’s guidelines. Consistent rule breaches could have an even more calamitous effect on the season. Sturgeon has already given the game here plenty of warnings all season.
We’ll see what comes of the Ibrox investigation and what the actual facts of the incident are. But for now, Sturgeon has reiterated the warning she dished out back in August.
In other news, the Celtic fans have been left raging with their club’s Monday decision.
Receive a digest of our best Celtic content each week direct to your mailbox
