Stoke City chief executive Tony Scholes says it is ‘very disappointing’ that they had to suspend James McClean pending an internal investigation.
The Republic of Ireland international is in hot water with the Championship club over an alleged breach of Covid-19 regulations in Britain.
And McClean will play no part in tomorrow’s Championship clash away to Blackburn Rovers because of it.
Quizzed on McClean, Scholes told BBC Radio Stoke: “Obviously disappointed, very disappointed, but I'm going to duck that question to a degree.
“That's going to be subject to disciplinary.
“When we found out yesterday that James had visited a private gym - I've got to be using the word allegedly in all of these things - it's clearly a breach of protocol.
“We took the decision to immediately suspend him pending the investigation.
“We hope we get that done quickly because we've had to withdraw Jame from availability for tomorrow's game. We hope to deal with that matter very quickly.”
Scholes continued: “I'll make a more general comment because I have to be very careful.we all know we live in very difficult times, we've all got a duty to act responsibly.
“Football is continuing at the moment at a time when across the country every other leisure activity has been curtailed. We have to be mindful of that.
“We appreciate it and we don't take it for granted. People have got a reasonable right to expect all of us to adopt the highest standards of behaviour.
“It's against that background that we have to adopt the highest standards of behaviour and be seen to adapt them.
“That's a general statement, I'm not making that specifically with response to James. He is suspended pending the investigation.
“As to what happens thereafter, it depends on the outcome.
