SM
Arsenal vs. Juventus: 3 hrs 2 mins
Upcoming predictions and previews

Nicola Sturgeon denies special treatment for rugby over football

:Headline: Nicola Sturgeon denies special treatment for rugby over football: ID:411879: from db_amp
BT Murrayfield will host around 700 rugby fans at a trial event on Friday, while Celtic's request for limited supporters on Sunday was rejected.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon denied her government had given preferential treatment to rugby as she told football fans that every effort was being made to ensure a return to stadiums was safe.

Around 700 spectators will be allowed into BT Murrayfield as a trial event on Friday when Edinburgh host Glasgow Warriors, ahead of an indicative date of September 14 for fans to return to sports stadiums in limited numbers.

However, a request to have some supporters in the stadium for Celtic's home match against Motherwell on Sunday was rejected by the Scottish Government.

“I'll let you into a wee secret here, the virus doesn't care about the shape of the ball at these events”
- First Minister Nicola Sturgeon

The Scottish football authorities publicly sought "urgent clarification" from the government on Wednesday night following the decision.

But the First Minister insisted the "shape of the ball" was irrelevant in the trial event and Friday's occasion would allow lessons to be learned for football and other sports.

Sturgeon said: "Of course I understand the frustrations many people in many different walks of life are feeling right now because life isn't normal and we're all really anxious to get life back to normal.

"But let me just be clear what we're doing here with these trial events with spectators back in stadiums. We're not trialling how it works with rugby versus football.

Nicola Sturgeon denied showing favouritism (PA)

"I'll let you into a wee secret here, the virus doesn't care about the shape of the ball at these events.

"What we are testing is how we can operate in a stadium with spectators and maintain and comply with all the physical distancing and other hygiene rules.

"So the learning from rugby will apply to football. The test event that will go ahead at Murrayfield will allow us to learn and apply those lessons across different sports.

"And hopefully, in the not too distant future, we will be able to move into having, albeit in limited numbers, spectators in stadiums for a whole variety of sports, not on a test and pilot basis but on a more general basis.

BT Murrayfield will hold some fans when Edinburgh take on Glasgow again (Ian Rutherford/PA)

"I would ask spectators and fans, whether it's in football or rugby, to bear with us just now.

"We are trying to find the safest ways of getting as much normality back as possible.

"It's not about preferring rugby over football or football over rugby or any other sport, it's just about trying to keep people as safe as possible."

amp_article__411879 : Database Data restored...  : 
last updated article - 2020-08-27 14:44:49:
html db last update - 2020-08-27 14:44:49 :

ex - 7200 : read : read cache amp html

Coronavirus outbreak - Click here for more stories

Click here for more stories about Nicola Sturgeon

Click here for more stories about Edinburgh

Share this article now:
Recommended Next on SM
Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool119112161528
2Manchester CityMan City117222213923
3Chelsea115422113819
4Arsenal115421812619
5Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest115421510519
6Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton115421915419
7Fulham115331613318
8Newcastle UnitedNewcastle115331311218
9Aston Villa115331717018
10Tottenham HotspurSpurs1151523131016
11Brentford115152222016
12Bournemouth114341515015
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd114341212015
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham113351319-612
15Leicester CityLeicester112451421-710
16Everton112451017-710
17Ipswich TownIpswich111551222-108
18Crystal Palace11146815-77
19Wolverhampton WanderersWolves111371627-116
20Southampton11119721-144
Scroll for more - Tap for full version


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!

Loading ...

Failed to load data.



. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .