Rangers legend Ally McCoist has slammed Celtic's decision to travel to Dubai for a mid-season training camp.

Neil Lennon and his Hoops squad flew out to the Middle East on Saturday for a warm-weather training camp on the back of a damaging derby defeat to Rangers which left them 19 points adrift in the Premiership title race.

The Scottish Government called for the SFA to look into whether the club had broken special coronavirus exemptions, but Celtic responded to maintain they had done nothing wrong.

READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon questions whether Celtic have complied with elite bubble rules during Dubai trip

Now Rangers hero McCoist has had his say and he is shocked that the Parkhead outfit decided to continue with their travels.

He told BT Sport Football Extra: "I hear what Chris [Sutton] is saying regarding not having broken any rules. Right, that's fine, I get that.

"But, c'mon guys, in the current climate, who in their right mind thinks it's a good idea to go to another country with a group of players when there's just been this second bout of the virus?

Si Ferry: Celtic's controversial Dubai trip is tame compared to the ones I've been on

"It's a stupid idea in so many ways, so many counts.

"If the Government thought it was a good idea, why has Nicola Sturgeon asked the SFA to look into the matter?

"If she deals with it how it's required, she should be dealing with it herself.

"But the fact she's then asked the SFA would indicate to me she wants the governing body to do something about it, whether it's have a look at it or whatever, I don't know.

"But they've chosen not to do it, because potentially they're a little bit embarrassed for, again I use the word 'stupidity'.

"In this day and age, I can't go up and visit my 94-year-old mother!"

He continued: "Our governing bodies weren't slow to react, rightly or wrongly, Aberdeen players sitting round a table earlier on in the season.

"Kilmarnock players on a team bus… A lot of people, like myself, aren't fully up on all the rules but the football clubs are.

"Getting back to Chris' point, if there's nothing legally wrong that's fine.

"But nobody, nobody , on this planet will convince me that common sense should have prevailed and they shouldn't have gone, even just for the look itself."