SFA PROBE GERS OVER COVID TESTS
PROTOCOL ‘BREACH’
RANGERS are facing an SFA probe over fears the club broke coronavirus testing protocol.
Record Sport understands Hampden top brass suspect as many as nine of Steven Gerrard’s first-team squad played in a bounce match against Dundee United on Wednesday without the mandatory all-clear by medics. SFA stand-in president Mike Mulraney was alerted to the developing situation on Wednesday night and it’s believed he’s demanded the Ibrox club are asked for a full explanation of the events. The potential rule break
FROM BACK PAGE was discussed as a matter of urgency yesterday afternoon at a crisis meeting of the Covid-19 Joint Response Group which lasted almost two hours.
Motherwell will also be asked why their test results were not returned until just two hours before kick-off at Ibrox – while Hibs are facing similar questions from the beaks over Saturday’s late cancellation of a friendly against Ross County.
It’s believed the Rangers anomaly came to the attention of the authorities after Gerrard’s side had to delay a pre-season friendly against the Fir Park side by two hours, from the scheduled 6pm kick-off time to 8pm, while both clubs waited for their latest batch of test results.
But the re-arranged time was a full seven hours after a Rangers B team took on United behind closed doors at Auchenhowie.
Nine of the players who featured in that match had been part of Gerrard’s squad for last week’s minitournament in Lyon – Andy Firth, Calvin Bassey, Greg Stewart, Jordan Jones, Glenn Middleton, Ross McCrorie, Greg Docherty and youngsters Nathan Patterson and Lewis Mayo.
It’s believed the entire travelling party underwent testing on Tuesday after returning home following their 2-0 win over Nice on Saturday night.
But a backlog at the laboratory meant the results did not arrive back at Ibrox until around 7pm on Wednesday night.
Motherwell’s squad was also affected by the same delay with their results coming back shortly before 6pm – more than 50 hours after Stephen Robinson and his players had been swabbed on Monday.
It was only then they were finally allowed to make their way to
Glasgow’s south side to take part in the match which Rangers won 4-0.
The strict testing protocol was put in place by the Joint Response Group in order to secure government approval for a safe return to training and playing for all 12 top-flight clubs.
SFA chief executive Ian Maxwell also warned the Premiership that any high profile breaches could have “catastrophic” consequences for the game as it works with Holyrood towards a restart on August 1.
And the latest dramatic twists have sparked fears the First Minister could even U-turn on the decision to allow the top flight to begin on August 1.
In a letter to the clubs Maxwell wrote: “We have been able to negotiate a dispensation for Premiership first-team squads to return however all involved should be under no illusions that breaches of the agreed parameters will lead to the Scottish Government removing our exemption, having a catastrophic impact on our game.
“Please ensure all staff and players are reminded of their responsibilities on an ongoing basis.”