Durie’sfears deepenamid Covidspikes

Boxing coach Archie Durie fears further coronavirus outbreaks are going to cause costly delays in re-opening his gym.

Scottish football has already been impacted with games postponed due to breaches by players and a spike in cases in Aberdeen.

And Durie is left watching First Minister Nicola Sturgeon’s regular addresses to the nation through his fingers, as he hopes to re-open his gym on September 14.

He said:“I’m very pessimistic about it, I hate being like that, I like to be positive, but I don’t know.

“I’m still not earning, I’m not making a wage to keep the club alive, and it’s people from the community who are helping me out, which is actually getting embarrassing.

“The community have been tapping me money to keep the club alive and help with the monthly bills, because they’re still coming in, and it’s hard. It has been up and down, and the mental health is a wee bit messed up with it, trying to deal with everything.

“I’m completely in the dark. Just now, I’m seeing everything that everybody else is, and that’s the schools back, so there are potential spikes coming.

“It could affect families, and that will be a big testing time for gyms.

“If it did, and Nicola Sturgeon starts closing things down like Aberdeen, then gyms will go right back to the end of the queue again.

“I’m trying to be optimistic, and I’m seeing dates being mentioned about reopening, but it means nothing until Nicola Sturgeon makes her speech again. I have paid my gym fees and the rent up until next February to give security for the club, so we will survive, but we can’t do anything right now.”