CLUBS MUST PASSTHETEST
FROM BACK PAGE given the government green light to restart training from next Thursday but so far only Celtic and Ross County have splashed out on their own testing equipment.
Yesterday the top 12 held crunch talks with the SFA to discuss emergency plans to roll out testing for all players and coaching staff.
Record Sport understands the talks – hosted by chief executive Ian Maxwell and Hampden medic Dr John MacLean – took place amid concerns that the coronavirus pandemic may keep the country’s top division in lockdown beyond the proposed starting date of August 1.
A raft of options were put forward which will allow clubs to access crucial testing machines – and keep the cost of returning to action to a minimum.
But the top 12 are still facing bills of up to £5000a-week just to enable their players to get back to training this month.
Medical teams from across the country, along with some top-flight managers, were involved in the conference call as they seek to establish a safe way for the game to get back up and running.
The Scottish government has given the green light for Premiership players to return to limited training from next Thursday but on the strict condition that appropriate testing procedures are put in place at each club.
So far, of the top 12, only Celtic and Ross County have stumped up cash to buy their own testing machines which are believed to cost in the region of £35,000.
The other 10 clubs have now be told to take urgent action before re-opening their training bases.
And they were given three options by Maxwell who has been locked in discussions with one leading medical firm who have offered to supply clubs with the expertise and equipment they need to get their players and coaching staff safely back to work.
A source told us last night: “The first option is to go down the same road as England’s Premier League clubs.
“That’s the most costly option and it involves the company taking swabs at training grounds and then coming back with results in 24-36 hours.
“Option two would see clubs take their own swabs and then send them off to the labs for results.
“And the third option is for a number of clubs from the same area to club together to buy the testing machines and share them.
“It would cost £25k for the machine but they can share that burden and then reduce the cost of each individual test to £50.
“Given the companies all over the country will soon be requiring to use this sort of testing there could even be a commercial opportunity for any clubs who have bought their own testing machines.
“But that’s something they can explore at a later date.
“For now it’s simply about finding a way for testing to be rolled out across the top flight in order to work towards the proposed start date of August 1.
“So there’s not a lot of time for each club to decide how it plans to proceed.
“Training might be scheduled to return next week but it just can’t happen unless a rigorous, extensive testing process has been established and put in place.”