Scotland’s national clinical director Jason Leitch has stated that limiting fans at football matches to only 500 people isn’t based on modelling but simply that “you have to draw the line somewhere”.
Most clubs, barring the delighted club playing out of Ibrox along with a few others, were left hugely disappointed when new rules were brought in to limit the number of supporters at matches.
The restrictions begin on Boxing Day and will remain for a minimum of three weeks. This will halt fans from attending some of the country’s biggest derby fixtures including our vital tie at Celtic Park against theRangers, Dundee United’s visit to Den’s Park to take on Dundee and the Edinburgh derby as Hibs face Hearts. This will cost these teams a fortune in lost revenue.
There has been talk of moving the Cinch Premiership winter break forward by a week but as of yet no agreement has been reached with the Scottish footballing authorities due to make a decision at a meeting this evening.
Leitch appeared on bbc Radio Scotland to discuss the new rules, taking questions from callers.
During this show he admitted the new restrictions are a choice the Scottish Government has made, rather than being based on scientific modeling.
Leitch said “Of course you have to draw the line somewhere, we’ve drawn it at a variety of points over the last little while. It’s very difficult to choose a number, you can either choose zero, 10,000 or somewhere in between.
“It’s a judgement, it’s of course based on trying to keep the risk as low as you possibly can but the alternative is just to close them down completely. So you’re absolutely right: it’s just a judgement.
“There isn’t a particular public health route that takes you to 500 people”.
Host Stephen Jardine then pointing out to Leitch that no matter how many attended there was still a chance, even with a number as low as 500, that people could still get infected. He replied: “That’s true of pretty much anything that we do. So when we say ‘reduce your socialising, if you have to go socialising meet with only three families’, that’s not risk free.
“There’s no risk free path here, so governments and advisors make choices in there about which risks to take and which not. Yesterday you heard the First Minister prioritise education, life events and family gatherings.
“Now, you could choose a different list. You could choose pubs and hospitality in that list. The Scottish Government has chosen life events, education and family gatherings”.
Plucking a number like 500 out of the air and forcing all clubs, no matter the size of their stadium or the protocols they have in place at the venue, just doesn’t make sense. Let’s hope the Scottish footballing authorities come to their senses this evening and shut down the football completely from Christmas onwards instead of the misery of enduring football being played in empty stadiums once again.
Conall McGinty
Society does not shut down for a mild flu-like respiratory condition. Enough is enough. We move on and back to normal. Consent is withdrawn for anymore compliance to draconian measures of a dictatorship. The game is up. Back to normal.