Hearts can train again as restrictions are lifted for non-premiership clubs

Hearts will be able to resume first-team training on Monday after the Scottish football Joint Response Group gave the Championship and Leagues 1 and 2 the green light to return to football. The capital club had been told to stop all senior footballing activity last week in the wake of eight Aberdeen players and Celtic defender Boli Bolingoli breaking coronavirus restrictions, sparking outrage that the Tynecastle outfit had been punished for actions of topflight clubs.

Robbie Neilson’s squad had been back training at their Oriam base since 3 August and had invested heavily in coronavirus testing and social distancing measures to make their base as safe as possible.

However, Hearts and the rest of the non-premiership clubs will be permitted to train as of next week.

“This is a significant and hugely positive step forward for the whole of Scottish football and means that training can resume for both the professional and grassroots game from Monday,” said Rod Petrie, the Joint Response Group chair.

SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster said: “This is a major milestone in getting our game fully up and running again.”