NICOLA Sturgeon has said quarantine exemption rules for elite sportsmen and women will be reviewed after a Celtic player tested positive for coronavirus following the squad’s controversial trip to Dubai.
Celtic confirmed yesterday that defender Christopher Jullien has tested positive and is self-isolating at home after the staff and players were checked following their return to Scotland on Friday.
All of the other members of the squad and backroom team have tested negative but manager Neil Lennon, assistant John Kennedy and 13 first-team players are also self-isolating on a precautionary basis after being deemed close contacts, the club said.
Dubai has been added to Scotland’s travel quarantine list, with travellers returning from the country told to self-isolate for 10 days. The rule, which came into effect at 4am yesterday, also applies retrospectively for passengers who have travelled to Scotland from Dubai since January 3. They have to self-isolate for 10 days dating from when they arrived back to Scotland.
Elite sports teams who go to foreign training camps are exempt from quarantine rules, but the First Minister said that this will be reviewed.
Speaking at the daily coronavirus briefing, she said: “One of the things we will be looking at is tightening up travel restrictions and one of the things out of this whole episode we will be looking at, in fact I know we will be looking at, is whether the exemptions from the quarantine arrangements for elite sport and perhaps some other sectors have to be tightened up as well.
“I’m not saying that’s happening only because of the Celtic situation but certainly that situation underlines the importance of us doing that.”
She said it is for the football authorities to decide whether further action should be taken but that she hopes Celtic will reflect seriously on the situation.
The First Minister said she has doubts over whether Celtic’s trip to Dubai was really essential and questioned whether adherence to bubble rules was strict enough after seeing photos from the trip.
She said: “Football and elite sport more generally enjoys a number of privileges right now that the rest of us don’t have. These privileges include the right to go to overseas training camps and be exempt from quarantine on return.
“It is really vital, obviously for public health reasons but I think also out of respect for the rest of the population living under really heavy restrictions, that these privileges are not abused.”
She said that it is not the Scottish Government’s role to give approval or not give approval to what a football team is doing but that it gave the footballing authority “clarity on what the rules were and are”.
Celtic said they are “hugely disappointed” about the situation and wished Jullien a speedy recovery.
The club said: “The contacts were identified during the period from Wednesday last week, primarily around flight and team coach travel, during which time Celtic applied the same rigorous protocols used for pre-season training camps, UEFA match travel and for all domestic match arrangements in Scotland.
“These protocols have served us well in the past, as the Club has not had one positive case in our own ‘bubble’ until now. As we have already stated, Celtic’s decision to travel to Dubai for a training camp was for performance reasons. Whilst we were in Dubai, the announcements made on January 4 significantly changed the Covid landscape.
“The reality is that a case could well have occurred had the team remained in Scotland, as other cases have done in Scottish football and across UK sport in the past week.
“Celtic has done everything it can to ensure we have in place the very best procedures and protocols.”
They added: “From the outset of the pandemic, Celtic has worked closely with the Scottish Government and Scottish football and we will continue to do so.”
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