THE SCOTTISH Government has confirmed that there are “no plans” to allow football fans to return to stadiums in areas where tier 2 and tier 3 restrictions are in place.
Scottish football fans have been locked out of stadiums since the pandemic swept across the country, other than a couple of trial events and Ross Country, with their Dingwall home currently in tier 1, have been allowed a limited number of fans to return.
Up to 4,000 fans will be allowed into stadiums in low-risk areas of England when the lockdown south of the border ends on December 2.
SPFL chief executive, Neil Doncaster, yesterday warned that if Nicola Sturgeon “refuses to allow football fans all over Scotland to watch their beloved teams in carefully-regulated, limited numbers, complete with track and trace, she will have to explain to them the clinical difference between Scottish fans and English fans”.
He added: "Make no mistake, failure to get fans back in the very near future will sound the death knell for some of our best-loved clubs and no one wants that."
READ MORE: SPFL call for urgent Holyrood summit to end fan lock-out in Scottish football
Joe Fitzpatrick, Minister for Public Health, Sport and Wellbeing, has confirmed that the Scottish Government has “no plans” to allow supporters in level 2 and level 3 areas to attend live sport.
Holyrood’s Health and Sport Committee had written to Mr Fitzpatrick, asking him to “provide detail of any plans the Scottish Government have to increase the numbers of fans admitted to matches in tier 1 areas over time, and also indicate how and when admission will be extended to fans at matches in tier 2 areas”.
The letter from committee convener, Lewis Macdonald, added: “In respect of tier 3 areas, what consideration has been given to enabling the return of fans to matches in future?”
In response, Mr Fitzpatrick has now stressed that any decision on allowing more fans back into stadiums will be “based on clinical evidence, expert advice, and a balanced assessment of the risks”.
He added: “In terms of football, rugby etc, a maximum of 300 supporters are allowed in areas with level 0 and level 1 restrictions.
“We are considering how and when this figure may increase – but it is important to emphasise there is no immediate prospect of an increase given the fragile situation with the virus.
“We have no plans to extend admission to supporters in level 2 or level 3 areas.”
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