SPFL say change to Covid rules would impact sporting fairness
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THE Scottish Professional Football League said to change Covid rules could threaten the season being completed.
The SPFL company secretary and director of operations Calum Beattie issued this week about the background to the SPFL policy regarding games being postponed due to Covid cases after receiving complaints from Dunee manager James McPake and St Mirren manager Jim Goodwin who requested games to be postponed.
Beattie said: “The new SPFL Board policy for postponing games due to Covid-19 cases was introduced at the start of the season specifically to deal with the circumstances we find ourselves in.
“Before finalising the new policy, we consulted with and listened to clubs carefully and incorporated specific elements such as the requirement to have a minimum of 10 players aged 18 or over before matches could proceed.
“The SPFL Board policy was notified to all 42 clubs before the season started and provides certainty and consistency on the criteria for postponements.
“The SPFL has repeatedly demonstrated that we will postpone matches when the criteria is met - with 10 League matches this season postponed already.
“While we have enormous sympathies for any club which is unable to field its strongest team as a result of Covid-19, those calling for the policy to be changed midway through the season may not have considered the wider implications.
“Failure to administer the policy consistently could lead to clubs choosing not to fulfill specific fixtures, which would have massive implications for sporting fairness, increase pressure on other clubs and threaten the ability to complete the season.
“It is an essential cornerstone of the game that scheduled fixtures must be played when teams fulfill the necessary criteria.”
