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Nicola Sturgeon has issued a warning to Scottish football as Celtic and Aberdeen matches were called up after their players broke lockdown rules.
The prime minister had said the two clubs should not play this week.
She said she did not want regulatory clubs and players, or fans, to be punished for the individual violations.
But she warned: “Remember the yellow card today. Next time it will be the red card, because you will leave us absolutely no choice.”
Celtic defender Boli Bolingoli flew to Spain without the knowledge of the club, failed to quarantine, and then played in Sunday’s match against Kilmarnock.
Last weekend, eight Aberdeen players broke lockdown regulations by visiting a bar together.
- Follow the latest news about coronavirus in Scotland
Ms Sturgeon said news of Bolingoli’s ‘flagrant breach’ of the guidelines came through while the national clinical director, Professor Jason Leitch, had a meeting with the managers and captains of Scotland’s top clubs to discuss the importance of guidance strengthen.
Which games were canceled?
- St Mirren v Celtic – Wednesday, August 12 at 6 p.m.
- Aberdeen v Hamilton – Wednesday, August 12 at 7:45 p.m.
- Celtic v Aberdeen – Saturday, August 15 at 3 p.m.
She said: “This is just not acceptable.
“Every day I stand here and ask members of the public to make great sacrifices about how they live their lives. The vast majority do that and it is not easy.
“We can not have privileged footballers who just decide they will not cause any problems. This can not continue.”
The SPFL later agreed to the call offs and announced an “urgent package of measures” to prevent a recurrence.
These include plans to punish players who break the rules, an “immediate” training program for players and an agreement to take part in promotional activities for the FACT campaign of the Scottish Government.
Sports Minister Joe FitzPatrick said: “This latest example indicates that the current regulations are not working as intended, and therefore extra steps must now be taken to ensure that the need for strict compliance with the rules is fully and properly understood.”
In the meantime, Celtic and Aberdeen may train as usual, but training and practice matches will not be allowed.
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Boli Bolingoli said he was ‘guilty of an error of judgment’
Celtic manager Neil Lennon said it would be “very difficult” for Bolingoli to accept back into the dressing room.
He added: “I’m alive, it was a total betrayal of trust.”
Ms Sturgeon indicated earlier “very clear penalties” would be in place for players and clubs if the rules were violated.
The prime minister said footballers are “talented, skilled, hard-working professionals” and “well-paid” role models.
But she added: “I do not think it is too much to ask them to live this, and that is all we ask.”
‘High risk country’
Prof Leitch said that footballers who fly the regulations pose a risk to public health and endanger the return of all elite sports.
He said Bolingoli had traveled to a ‘high-risk country’ and then went to work and ‘put both his team and the opposition team at risk of coronavirus.
“There must be an implication of that in terms of public health for those with whom he was in contact and their contact with others.”
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Eight Aberdeen players isolate themselves
Bolingoli played in Sunday’s game against Kilmarnock, although he should have been isolating himself.
The defender said he was ‘guilty of an error of judgment’ and apologized.
Celtic apologized, saying his actions were “above explanation”. All players and staff in the backroom have since been tested twice and have returned negative results.
Eight Aberdeen players have apologized for visiting a bar in the center of a Covid-19 outbreak in the city.
Two of the players later tested positive for the virus, while six are currently isolating themselves.
Physical distance
A total of 165 positive cases of coronavirus have now been linked to the outbreak in Aberdeen.
Dr Emmanuel Okpo, a consultant in Public Health Medicine, said a lack of physical distance “was the key factor in the spread of these cases”.
He said it was now likely that all permit sites in the city had been affected.
“This is because physical distance – as well as the lack of it – has come up repeatedly in our research,” he said.
“I would reiterate that we should all take personal responsibility for physical distance.”
