Ian Maxwell has admitted he understands Hearts frustrations as he detailed the reasons for the SPFL and SFA Joint Response Group calling a halt to football for every level other than the Premiership
The Jambos had just begun their pre-season programme when the bombshell news dropped that they must halt until August 34.
The decision was made on the back of First Minister Nicola Sturgeon 's warning that Scottish football had received a "yellow card" after Celtic's Boli Bolingoli and eight Aberdeen players were caught in flagrant breach of coronavirus guidlines.
The government has made it clear this statement acts as a public final warning for the highest level of the game, a move that prompted the JRG to review its plans for lower levels.
Hearts were the only team who had begun training and said they were "incensed" by the decision, a situation exacerbated by news that English side Hull City trained on their Riccarton training facility a day later.
And while the SFA chief understands their fury, he feels the severity of the government's warning meant action had to be taken.
He told Sportsound: "When you have the First Minister saying live to the nation that Scottish football is on a yellow card, and when you have the national clinical director who advises her saying he didn't have confidence in Scottish football's ability to stick to protocols then you have to take decisions.
"Jason (Leitch) is right that the decisions are sector specific so we wouldn't go back to government with the level of detail over what this actually means. We proposed a range of measures to government. One of them was the suspension of the game to allow that pause and ensure the protocols that clubs have in place are appropriate.
"We are seeing more and more clubs wanting to come back to training and we are reaching that point where they want to begin for the league campaign starting in October and he's absolutely right that it was a decision the Joint Response Group took to pause across the game."
Part of Hearts anger has been provoked because of the financial implications of having brought players off furlough to get them back into action.
As a former player and club chief executive Maxwell is sympathetic to the plight Hearts have faced but feels a blanket approach was the correct decision and was at pains to stress the Tynecastle club had not been targeted.
He said: "I absolutely understand and I was very clear to Ann (Budge) on the phone that I knew this wasn't going to be a popular decision and they will feel harshly treated. And I can understand why.
"When you look at everything that has happened to Hearts over the summer this will feel like another slap in the face to them but I tried to make it clear to Ann it is absolutely not about Hearts. Whilst it is unfair on Hearts it is the same for hundreds of amateur clubs who have training organised for the next week. There are a lot of people that are affected and we had to take a decision to put that pause in place.
"When we looked at it, there were Championship clubs who had already started testing and wanted to come back to training on Monday.
"We were left with the decision, do we allow one club to train and tell the others that haven't started they can't although they want to or is it just a blanket one week suspension?
"We were also aware that Hearts were looking at giving their players a bit of time off, I think eight days, and I had spoken to Ann to ask if they could marry those two things up to give us the time that we need and it doesn't disrupt their preparations for the new season.
"I completely understand, I get where Hearts are coming from and I know it will be disappointing and if I go back to my club days it would be the last thing you need. Hopefully Hearts and everybody else will understand exactly why we have done it."
