Quarantine rules don’t apply to any Scots clubs

SCOTTISH clubs playing in European qualifying games next month will be able to take advantage of ‘elite athlete exemption’ and avoid potential quarantine periods when they return from the continent.

Celtic, Rangers, Aberdeen and Motherwell could have faced huge logistical problems if the Scottish Government had rigidly enforced their insistence on travellers from this country being compelled to isolate for 14 days when returning from countries which are not considered secure enough to be included on their ‘air bridges’ list.

All four could be paired with opponents from those high-risk nations when the draws for the Champions League and Europa League are made in Switzerland next month.

The worst-case scenario could have seen the four clubs having to quarantine players — making selection for domestic games all but impossible.

Fortunately, the policy makers at Holyrood have shown flexibility in the matter.

Clubs must charter their own aeroplanes — commercial flights will not be accepted — and test everyone in the party for coronavirus before they leave. Once they arrive, they must stay in a bio-bubble until their return.

But that is a small price to pay when considering the chaos which would have been caused for all four had the fortnight’s self-isolation rule been applied to the clubs.

Celtic will find out who and where they will play when the draw for the Champions League’s first qualifying round is held on August 9. At the moment, they could face opponents from Albania, Armenia, Belarus, Estonia, Gibraltar, Kosovo, Latvia, Macedonia, Montenegro, and Sweden, all of whom are not included on the Scottish Government’s list.

‘It was agreed (by the Scottish Government) — at the same time they agreed the air bridges — that there is an elite athlete exemption,’ said Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell.

‘So, for the Champions League and Europa League qualifiers, we have exemptions to travel abroad, subject to their control measures.

‘We will certainly do that and, consequently, we don’t need to quarantine. It has also been agreed that teams coming here from those countries shouldn’t have to quarantine on their return either.

‘It would have been a crazy situation otherwise but we’re now in decent shape for the draw. There might be other nations who don’t have that comfort because they don’t have the right protocols or control measures.

‘UEFA would then have to deal with that and decide where the tie should be played. There are a lot of strict criteria and guidelines which clubs, nations and stadia need to meet.

‘For example, if we had to go back to Gibraltar, they would need to comply with that and their ground would need to pass a few tests and it’s quite a small stadium. If it didn’t pass, then our opponents would need to play the game here instead of there.

‘It wouldn’t take place at a neutral venue: if they don’t meet the criteria then it comes to us. The same will apply to Aberdeen and Motherwell in their first round draws but Pittodrie and Fir Park will be fine.’