JRG issue Covid passport warning after Scottish Government talks

Ministers approved the rollout of a vaccine passport programme in Holyrood on Thursday evening despite opposition parties voting against the Government motion.

People over the 18 of age will now need to prove that they have received two doses of a Covid vaccination prior to entry to many venues across Scotland from October 1.

Spectators attending unseated outdoor events with more than 4,000 people or any event with more than 10,000 people will be required to show proof of their vaccine status.

The new law could cause complications for a handful of clubs in Scottish football and champions Rangers and Old Firm rivals Celtic will be most impacted by the new entry requirements.

Manchester United confirmed this week that Covid certification spot checks will be in place at Old Trafford this weekend ahead of their Premier League fixture with Newcastle and vaccine passports will also become mandatory south of the border next month.

The JRG have been in dialogue with their Holyrood counterparts in recent days and are keen to find a solution to suit the sport ahead of another significant change for supporters in Scotland.

A spokesperson for the JRG said: “Both the Scottish FA and the SPFL wholeheartedly support the national effort to eradicate COVID-19.

“We have been in discussions with Scottish Government officials regarding the practical implications of vaccine passports for major events, and in particular the risk of health and safety issues and crowd disorder if fans are delayed getting into stadiums, which everyone naturally wants to avoid.

“With only three weeks before the 1st October deadline, we are committed to working hard to develop an effective and workable solution.

"With that in mind, we are keen to explore whether any vaccine passport regime can include spot-checks, rather than blanket inspections of everyone attending games.”