Ibrox players probed over alleged Covid breach

RANGERS last night launched an internal investigation into an alleged breach of Covid-19 protocols by a posse of fringe players.

Ibrox chiefs have been made aware of a group of younger players attending a social gathering at a flat in the west end of Glasgow early yesterday morning.

Police were called to the scene, with ten fixed penalty notices handed out in line with government coronavirus guidelines. Sportsmail understands two players who have played for the first team were among those fined.

A police spokesman said: ‘We received a report of a gathering at a property on Hayburn Lane, Glasgow, at around 1.10am on Sunday, February 14. Officers attended and those in attendance left. Ten people were issued with fixed penalty notices for breaching coronavirus regulations.’

Last night the club released a brief statement confirming: ‘Rangers are aware of an alleged incident which is subject to an internal investigation. We will make no further comment.’ It’s understood the players concerned will be ordered to self-isolate ahead of the Ibrox side’s Europa League clash with Royal Antwerp in Belgium on Thursday.

Rangers duo Jordan Jones and George Edmundson were handed fixed penalty fines by police, with the SFA administering a seven-match suspension for Covid-related breaches after a hearing in November. Jones has since joined Sunderland on loan, with Edmundson heading to Derby County last month. The latest incident will cast doubt over the Ibrox futures of those involved.

The SFA and SPFL are certain to probe the latest coronavirus incident to hit Scottish football following repeated warnings from Nicola Sturgeon and Deputy First Minister John Swinney over player breaches.

Despite special elite-athlete privileges being granted to allow the league season to begin last August, Celtic’s Boli Bolingoli was banned for three games, with a further two suspended, for travelling to Spain without permission, then failing to quarantine before a substitute appearance against Kilmarnock.

Eight Aberdeen players were given suspended three-game bans for visiting a city-centre bar. Both Celtic and Aberdeen were fined £30,000 by the SPFL. The Parkhead club faced further criticism for positive tests following a week of winter training in Dubai.

Kilmarnock and St Mirren were ordered to forfeit points after admitting protocol breaches — before the punishments were overturned on appeal.