League One side Falkirk have taken aim at the SPFL over their refusal to postpone this weekend’s opening fixture with Cove Rangers in Aberdeen – despite the Bairns having 14 players self-isolating this week.
The Bairns saw their League Cup fixtures thrown into turmoil when five first-team players returned positive Covid tests, with a further nine identified as close-contacts.
That lead to all 14 players having to isolate, with the close-contacts allowed to exit isolation at midnight tonight while the other five must wait a further 24 hours.
Paul Sheerin’s first-team squad on Falkirk’s website contains 19 players.
As a result, Falkirk requested a postponement to their trip to the Granite City to face Cove, releasing a lengthy statement calling the SPFL’s decision “unacceptable” and accusing them of showing “no respect to either the physical or mental condition” of their players.
The Bairns also cited “serious medical and welfare evidence” provided to the SPFL in order to advance their case, only to be told they had to fulfil the fixture of face possible disciplinary action.
Falkirk have now demanded that the issue be looked at by the SPFL board when they meet today, saying:
“As many of you will know the Club was made aware last week, via our routine testing regime, that five members of our first-team squad had returned positive COVID results. As a result of further investigation, an additional nine players from our first-team squad were identified as ‘close-contacts’ and as such were entered into a government-mandated period of ten-day self-isolation. A total of fourteen players have been unavailable to take part in any training or match preparation for the past week.
“Nine of those players are able to exit the mandatory period of self-isolation at 12:01am on Friday morning, just over 24 hours before our fixture with Cove Rangers. The five remaining players can emerge from isolation at 12:01am on Saturday morning, a mere 15 hours before kick-off (these players are subject to a longer period of rehabilitation in accordance with agreed protocols).
“We have been engaged in dialogue with the SPFL for the past week to request a postponement for Saturday’s fixture given the difficult circumstances and on the grounds of player welfare. As a Club, we find it unacceptable that the SPFL expect our players, who will have been isolating for ten days with limited opportunity for exercise or match preparation, to engage in a competitive fixture at such short notice. This pays no respect to either the physical or mental condition of our players.
“Our request for a postponement has been rejected by the SPFL, despite the serious medical and welfare evidence which we have provided to them. We have also highlighted several examples of precedent where fixtures have been postponed. Our players have also made representations and sought advice from PFA Scotland to endorse our case for a postponement of the fixture. Our measured requests, accompanied by evidence and suitable alternative dates for the fixture to be played, have been met with the threat of disciplinary action from the SPFL.
“Needless to say, we remain disappointed by the approach adopted by the SPFL and should we be forced to play Saturday’s fixture it will be under duress and an action that we believe risks the health and wellbeing of our players and does nothing to enhance the credibility of the league or the decision making process of the SPFL.
“We have asked for the matter to be referred as a matter of urgency to the SPFL board, which unfortunately does not meet again until tomorrow (Thursday). Until the board deliberates we cannot provide supporters with a concrete answer on whether Saturday’s fixture will go ahead. We apologise that you as supporters are still without clarity but we hope the aforementioned demonstrates that we have been pushing for clarification on this matter for the past week and that our priority remains the health and wellbeing of our staff and players.”
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