Glasgow (AFP) – Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon called on football to “make sure your house is in order” on Monday following allegations Rangers players attended a house party which was broken up by police.
The Scottish Premiership leaders issued a statement on Sunday saying they were aware of an alleged incident and had launched an internal investigation.
Sturgeon has previously criticised Celtic’s mid-season training camp in Dubai, which resulted in 13 players having to self-isolate on their return to Glasgow due to one positive coronavirus case.
Earlier in the season, Celtic left-back Boli Bolingoli was also caught not quarantining after returning from a trip to Spain, two Aberdeen players tested positive after a night out in a group of eight and Rangers duo Jordan Jones and George Edmundson were given seven-match suspensions for attending a house party.
“Sometimes I feel that it’s taking me all my power not to stand here and use expletives whenever I get asked about football again,” Sturgeon said at the Scottish Government’s daily briefing.
“So can I say to football and sport generally – please, make sure your house is in order. Because it shouldn’t take me standing here to say to highly-paid footballers that you’ve got to obey the rules. It really shouldn’t take that. But the fact that it does is hugely frustrating to me.
“And I don’t care whether it is Celtic, Rangers or any other club – it’s not on. So please stop breaking the rules.”
Rangers’ statement on Sunday read: “Rangers are aware of an alleged incident which is subject to an internal investigation. We will make no further comment.”
A Police Scotland spokesman said: “We received a report of a gathering at a property in Hayburn Lane, Glasgow, around 1.10am on Sunday, 14 February. Officers attended and those in attendance left. Ten people were issued with fixed penalty notices for breaching coronavirus regulations.”
Website The Athletic reported at least four Rangers players are subject of an internal investigation for attending the party.
Scotland remains under strict lockdown restrictions to help curb the spread of Covid-19, with no indoor mixing of households allowed.
Jones and Edmundson were handed two-week club suspensions for breaching Covid protocols and did not play for Rangers again after their incident in November before being loaned out to Sunderland and Derby respectively in the January transfer window.
