Glasgow City Council have refused a Freedom of Information Act request into correspondence with the Safety Advisory Group into fears about the safety of Ibrox Stadium.
It’s over a year since Dave Murray pulled the plug on maintenance work, much like he did with paying income tax and national insurance, with just the occasional cosmetic exercise taking place as the stadium crumbles into a state of disrepair.
While the condition of the stadium is mainly a threat to the welfare of Sevco fans Celtic are due to visit Ibrox on April 29 with the champions assured of an incredible welcome from the away support.
Whether the team is applauded onto the pitch remains a decision to be made from within the blue room of unsurpassed dignity.
Concerns about the state of Ibrox have been growing over the last 12 months with anecdotal reports of the condition of the stands.
The bulk of the stadium was constructed in the early eighties, with almost four decades of weathering it seems that Glasgow City Council, a body to serve the residents as well as the people, has decided to take a vow of silence rather than reassure fans that their interests are being looked after by the local authority.
In reply to a Freedom of Information request from Phil MacGiollabhain GCC stated: “Ibrox Stadium is a high profile football stadium and, with a capacity of over 50,000, is one of the largest stadia in the UK.
“Given the high profile nature of the stadium there is a realistic potential for information relating to safety and security arrangements to be utlised in the perpetration of a malicious act and, therefore, endanger the physical or mental health of over 50,000 spectators.
“As the subjects discussed by the Safety Advisory Group at their meetings relate explicitly to public safety, specifically the steps taken to protect the physical and mental health of those in and around the stadium, the Council does not consider it in the public interest to publish information on the matters discussed at these meetings nor does it consider that the public interest would be best served by releasing documentation presented to or by the Safety Advisory Group that relates specifically to the stadia and measures taken to ensure public safety.”
No one was prosecuted over the 1971 Ibrox disaster despite two previous incidents involving fatalities in the ten years beforehand.
The Freedom of Information Act was introduced to give members of the public access to details that the authorities would rather keep a secret.
What is it that Glasgow City Council has to hide?
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