THE Scottish football authorities insist a decision that has seen Hearts told to stop training was part of its agreement with the Scottish Government.

The Joint Response Group earlier announced that clubs below the Scottish Premiership would be unable to train until August 24 at the earliest. Relegated Hearts started back earlier this month.

Scotland’s national clinical director, Jason Leitch, later told BBC Radio Scotland that his understanding was that Hearts would not have to stop and that the decision came from the Scottish Professional Football League.

But a JRG spokesperson has told the PA news agency: “The pause on all football training beneath Premiership and including all adult football over-18 was part of the agreement with Scottish Government that culminated in today’s range of measures being announced and the majority of this week’s games going ahead as scheduled.”

Jason Leitch previously said: "I've just read the SPFL's news release before I came on.

"These are matters for the SPFL. We didn't tell them what to do.

"We told them to reassure us that everything is in place that is necessary.

"My understanding of what the SPFL have said is no NEW clubs to start training until the 24th.

"Hearts were already training because of the court case and the Premiership and the possibility they were up.

"My understanding was that they wouldn't have to stop training but you guys maybe know more than me.

"Look, here is my job, I am national clinical director, I am dealing with oil and gas, I am dealing with the health service, small retail premises along with all my colleagues. And we are trying to help with elite sport.

"We - I think rightly - said to the SPFL, you have to get your house in order.

"We want you to tell us how you are going to do that.

"We suggested there were two big categories of stuff they can do. One is enforcement. And we suggested some level of education.

"That wasn't a government decision and neither should it be."