Shortly after the start of the Scottish Football League season, a game between Aberdeen FC and St. Johnstone FC was postponed because two Aberdeen professionals tested positive for the corona virus. Six other players then had to go into quarantine for ten days. The league announced on Friday.
The BBC and the Daily Mail reported that all eight players went to a bar in Aberdeen last Saturday night after the 1-0 defeat by Rangers, the first game of the season. Then two players tested positive. The other six have to be in quarantine because they were in close proximity to the two.
The match between Aberdeen and St. Johnstone should have taken place on Saturday. However, following a meeting between the Scottish Minister of Health and representatives of the Scottish Football Association and the League, the game was postponed to August 20th.
“Clear violations”
Prime Minister Nicola Sturgeon commented personally on the case on Friday. “I’m pretty angry about this situation because that shouldn’t have happened,” said Sturgeon. It is clear that the players have visited the bar. This would have violated the rules that the association, the league and the government decided to start the new season. Sturgeon welcomed the postponement: “We expect people from public life to behave extremely cautiously. If players at football clubs are infected with Covid – and we remember that this was not due to bad luck, but through clear rule violations – then we cannot take the small risk of spreading the infection to other parts of the country. ” Failure to obey the rules would jeopardize the return of professional football.
Aberdeen chairman Dave Cormack had already announced a full investigation on Thursday. All players and employees have been made more aware of the rules and protocols that apply due to the coronavirus pandemic. “And we will continue to inform everyone and remind them of what is and what is not acceptable in the current situation,” said Cormack.
Since last Wednesday, stricter measures to contain the corona virus have been in place in Aberdeen. Restaurants and pubs in the city have to close their doors again. Aberdeen had previously experienced an increase in new corona infections, which is said to be mainly due to bars in the city, as Sturgeon had announced.
