The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Elite sport quarantine rules to be reviewed after Celtic Dubai trip
Quarantine exemption rules for elite sportsmen and women will be reviewed after a Celtic player tested positive for coronavirus following the squad ’s controversial recent trip to Dubai, Nicola Sturgeon has said.
Celtic confirmed yesterday that defender Christopher Jullien has tested positive and is selfisolating at home after the staff and players were checked following their return to Scotland on Friday.
All of the other members of the squad and backroom team have tested negative.
However, manager Neil Lennon, assistant John Kennedy and 13 first team players are also selfisolating on a precautionary basis after being deemed close contacts, the club said.
Celtic’s home Scottish Premiership match with Hibernian last night still went ahead.
Dubai has been added to S c o t l a n d ’s travel quarantine list, with travellers returning from the country told to selfisolate for 10 days.
The rule, which came into effect at 4am yesterday, also applies retrospectively for passengers who have travelled to Scotland from Dubai since January 3, who have to self-isolate for 10 days dating from when they arrived back to Scotland.
Elite sports teams who go to foreign training camps are exempt from quarantine rules but the first minister said that this will be reviewed.
Speaking at the daily coronavirus briefing, she said: “One of the things we will be looking at is tightening up t r av e l restrictions and one of the things out of this whole episode we will be looking at, in fact I know we will be looking at, is whether the exemptions from the quarantine arrangements for elite sport and perhaps some other sectors have to be tightened up as well.
“So I’m not saying that’s happening only because of the Celtic situation but certainly that situation underlines the importance of us doing that.”
She said it is for the football authorities to decide whether further action should be taken but that she hopes Celtic will reflect seriously on the situation.
Celtic said they are “hugely disappointed” about the situation.