Scottish football chiefs were locked in talks with the Government on Wednesday amid fears Scotland’s new covid quarantine rules could crush Hampden’s hopes of hosting Euro 2020.
SFA chief executive Ian Maxwell has opened urgent discussions with Holyrood officials to establish how the hardline edict - which means anyone arriving in the country from overseas will have to spend 10 days under supervised watch in a hotel room - will impact upon this summer’s finals.
Record Sport understands Maxwell has received an assurance that any teams travelling to Glasgow in covid secure bubbles will be granted exemption from the tough new regulations under the existing privileges for elite sport.
That means the Czech Republic and Croatia will be cleared to face Steve Clarke ’s side at the national stadium for Group D clashes on June 14 and June 22.
But it’s still unclear if similar exemptions will be given to match officials arriving from abroad as well as UEFA ’s top brass, dignitaries and foreign media parties.
As we revealed last month, European football’s governing body still hopes to use a total of 12 original host cities around the continent to stage the delayed tournament which was postponed last summer after the pandemic hit.
But those plans have yet to be formally set in stone while the world wide battle against coronavirus continues.
And, while the UK government has announced a more relaxed approach to travel quarantine south of the border, Scotland’s decision to go it alone and enforce mandatory 10-day hotel stays for all arrivals has caused an extra layer of complications for the Hampden organisers.
That prompted discussions between Maxwell and the government but further talks will be required as the logistical issues created by the new rules are thrashed out.
