Amateur football restart date plea to ‘ give hope’

ARESTART dat e for amateur football should be announced to “give hope” to players and clubs, Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard has said.

Outdoor sports for those over the age of 18 are currently not allowed in areas facing restrictions in Level 2 or higher, according to the Scottish Government framework, but professional matches will still be allowed to go ahead.

The Labour leader claims the regulations will create a “twotiered” footballing system.

Current levels mean that only adults in five local authority areas – Highland, Moray, the Western Isles, Orkney and Shetland – are able to play sport outside.

Mr Leonard has previously called for the ban on amateur football to be scrapped but First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the restrictions were “absolutely necessary to suppress the virus in high prevalence areas”.

Labour are now pushing for a date to be announced for the return of the amateur ranks of the national game to “give hope” to players and teams.

Mr Leonard said:

“Tens of thousands of footballers are living with what seems like an indefinite ban on the sport they love.

“This blanket ban on competitive amat eur football is doing serious harm to the grassroots of our national game by stopping mass adult participation in the sport.

“The physical and mental benefits that these players routinely

get from weekly matches lost.”

In the wake of Scotland’s national team qualifying for next year’s European Championships, Mr Leonard said the Scottish Government should be promoting football.

He added: “Nicola Sturgeon must give hope to players and clubs at amateur level that they will soon be able to resume matches.

“The First Minister must engage with clubs and amateur leagues to agree a timetable for the safe return of matches.”

Current restrictions, put in place under a five- level system, can change on a weekly basis during reviews by ministers, but Level 4 restrictions which came into force on Friday will last for at least three weeks, the First Minister has said. is being

Richard Leonard said the government must give players ‘ hope’