Call to give Euro tickets to Covid heroes
Coronavirus “heroes” in the emergency services should be given free tickets to Scotland's games in the delayed Euro 2020 championship, Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard has suggested.
The Scottish Labour leader said giving away tickets to games in Scotland's group to NHS workers, carers and paramedics would be a "wonderful way of saying thank you" to them for their efforts.
Such a move would depend on coronavirus restrictions being eased to allow fans to attend matches at the tournament safely, Mr Leonard said.
Scotland clinched a place at their first major tournament for more than t wo decades after beating Serbia last year.
They are now due to play England at Wembley as part of Euro 2020, as well as taking on Croatia and the Czech Republic at Hampden.
Mr Leonard said a "substantial share" of Scotland's ticket allocation for games should be reserved for key workers who risked their lives to help others during the pandemic.
And he called on the authorities and the governments at Holyrood and Westminster to try to make it happen.
Mr Leonard said free admission should be given t o as many emergency workers who want tickets, staggered over Scotland's three Euro fixtures on a rota basis.
But he added that if demand for free tickets could not be fully met, a ballot could be held.
The Scottish Labour leader said: "Euro 2020 will be a marvellous celebration of topclass international football.
"It's also the more momentous because of S cotland's qualification, which will give a huge buzz to the nation and create intense interest in the progress of the national side.
"Scotland's participation in this glorious festival of foot
ball will be ever more t he sweeter after the tragedies and hardships we have endured during the pandemic.
"Giving free match tickets for Scotland's games to the key workers in the NHS care homes, emergency ser vices and others who selflessly brought food and provisions to the vulnerable, would be a wonderful way of saying thank you."
Mr Leonard continued: "The football leagues and authorities, the broadcasters, as well as the Scottish and UK govern
ments, should work together so that thousands of tickets are reserved for these Covid heroes.
"Obviously, this has to be dependent on safety and Covid rules, but the development of vaccines and the substantial capacities of Hampden and Wembley, hopefully make it realistic and deliverable.
"I'd like all emergency workers who want t i ckets to be accommodated, but if there are issues there could be allocations for different groups for the three games so that no
one is left out, or even a ballot. However, the important thing is that we establish the principle of making sure that we give our Covid heroes the chance to enjoy live football at Euro 2020."
T h e S c o t t i s h G o v e r n - ment said: "All 12 host cities and Uefa are considering a range of operational scenarios in response to the Covid pandemic.
"Ticketing for Euro 2020 is managed centrally by Uefa."