Uefa paves the way for SPFL to call time on Premiership season

UEFA has opened the door for the unfinished Scottish Premiership season to be called by outlining reasons for ending leagues including “insurmountable economic problems” or a ban on sports events.

The SPFL board can now curtail the top flight after its resolution to end the lower leagues was passed by clubs.

Should the powers that be decide to end t he top-flight season now, it would crown Celtic champions and relegate Hearts.

Uefa warned on Tuesday leagues should only be cancelled i n “special cases”.

And, after an executive committee meeting y e s t e r d a y , Eu r o p e a n football’s governing body clarified its stance by stating competitions which cannot restart at all must provide “legitimate” grounds for doing so.

This would be either an order from government or other authority prohibiting sporting activity from taking place, or an insurmountable economic problem which makes finishing the season impossible, because it would threaten the longterm financial stability of a competition or its clubs.

In those circumstances, clubs must decide its European qualifiers in an “objective, transparent and non-discriminatory way”.

A spokesperson for the SFA/SPFL Joint Response Group said: “The coronavirus outbreak is affecting leagues across Europe in m a n y d i f f e r e n t wa y s depending, amongst other things, on their financial position, their broadcasting deals and the percentage of their clubs’ income derived from gate receipts.

“In addition, the approach from individual governments varies according to the severity and timing of the lockdown and their success in dealing with the outbreak.

“As a result, there can be no “one-size-fits-all” solution to the challenges facing the 55 countries under the Uefa banner.”

SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster.