Virus rule breakers to face new sanctions
EXCLUSIVE
FURIOUS league bosses will hold crisis talks today to rubber-stamp new rules that could see top-flight stars hit with community service over further breaches of coronavirus protocol.
Record Sport understands the hard-hitting regulations are set to be ratified during discussions with the SPFL
board this afternoon. And they will set out a range of potential punishments starting with hefty fines and lengthy suspensions with further unprecedented options under consideration.
The stringent sanctions were promised yesterday as the league’s chief executive Neil Doncaster was forced to plead with the government not to pull the plug on two full rounds of top-flight fixtures in response to
Boli Bolingoli’s blatant disregard for Covid-19 protocol.
The disgraced Celtic full-back is fighting to save his Parkhead career after secretly flying to Spain without going into self isolation on his return.
Bolingoli’s actions sparked further outrage at Holyrood, after the crisis caused when eight Aberdeen players hit the town.
Celtic and Aberdeen are already facing disciplinary action for the breaches with FM Nicola
Sturgeon admitting yesterday the game is one more incident from being shown “a red card”.
The rule changes will be presented to the board this morning and could be set in stone by this afternoon. One source told us: “It’s important to recognise the sanctions they will discuss are absolutely unlimited. The idea of some form of community service has already been discussed.”
SFA president Rod Petrie said “Clubs and players are in no doubt there is no more margin for error”. And he added: “Players must heed the warning of the First Minister that this is a yellow-card moment.”
And Doncaster said: “We’ve only been able to restart matches thanks to the enormous efforts and sacrifices of thousands of people across the Scottish game.
“For anyone to put that in jeopardy in such a thoughtless and selfish manner is just beyond belief.”