CELTIC’S controversial trip to Dubai should be “looked into”, Nicola Sturgeon has said, as she urged those in elite sports not to abuse the extra freedoms they have been granted.
The First Minister said she had seen evidence suggesting the team’s trip was for “R and R” as opposed to training.
She was asked about the Glasgow side’s visit to the Middle East at the daily coronavirus briefing yesterday.
Celtic say they have done nothing wrong and the trip had previously been agreed with the Scottish Government.
Travel is only permitted for “essential reasons” and the Scottish Government has asked the Scottish Football Association (SFA) to investigate the matter further.
Sturgeon said: “As I understand it, the Scottish Government gave advice to the SFA about the rules around elite training camps back in November last year. The world around the pandemic has changed quite a bit since November.”
READ MORE: Neil Lennon defends Celtic's Dubai winter training camp after Nicola Sturgeon criticism
She said it was not the Scottish Government’s role to “sign off” on clubs’ training camps.
Sturgeon continued: “The rules have been – and they may need to change given the changing nature of the pandemic – that elite sports can go overseas for training camps if that’s important in the context of their training for competitions.”
The First Minister said she had seen photographs which caused her to question whether the “bubble” arrangements for footballers were being adhered to.
She said: “Elite sport, and this is not just about Celtic or football, has been in a privileged position at many points over the past year, doing things that the general public can’t do. We all want our sports teams and people to do well and be able to train properly, but as long as that’s the case it’s really important that they don’t abuse it, that they use it for the purpose it’s intended. And that applies to Celtic as it would to anybody else in that position.”
Celtic posted a series of tweets on Monday evening, maintaining that they had not breached the rules.
The club said: “The training camp was arranged a number of months ago & approved by all relevant footballing authorities & @scotgov through the Joint Response Group on 12th November 2020. The team travelled prior to any new lockdown being in place, to a location exempt from travel restrictions.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel