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SPFL double standards on show as they postpone Hibs match after forcing Celtic to play after Dubai

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SPFL double standards are in the spotlight following the late postponement of the Ross County v Hibs match.

It seems that two members of Jack Ross’ squad tested positive on the morning of the match with Ross County informed at 11am that the game was off.

Hospitality was already in place for the match with Malky Mackay’s side looking to build on their stunning 5-0 victory over Dundee three days earlier.

In January Celtic were forced to play Hibs and Livingston after 14 players were made to self-isolate by a change in SFA protocols following the training trip to Dubai. A week later Neil Lennon staged a very angry media conference that Celtic decided to upload.

It seems that Hibs chose to cut costs by not isolating their players on the coach journey from Edinburgh to Inverness, Celtic have been using upto six coaches to transport players and staff to away matches to comply with protocols.

Hibs claimed to have followed all protocols but a guest in their Inverness hotel contacted the Daily Record with an alternative version of events.

My wife and I were up staying at the Kingsmill Hotel in Inverness while we visited my mum over the weekend. We’d been sitting in the bar on Friday night when we noticed that the Hibs players were obviously staying there as well.

The main corridor that takes you from reception to the rooms runs through the bar area – which is public – so while we were sat there for a couple of hours we could see the players walking past all the time.

There was a steady flow of them and while the vast majority of them were wearing masks, there were at least three who clearly weren’t. There was also a staff member who I held a door open for at one point who was not wearing a mask either.

When we checked in, we were told that we could take our masks off when we sat down but while walking around the hotel we had to keep it on. There was plenty of signage about saying the same. We all know it’s the law these days when it comes to walking about an indoor public place.

I remember thinking at the time it was quite annoying and that it was typical selfish footballers thinking that the rules didn’t apply to them.

It was only when I saw the statement the next day saying that a couple of them actually had C***d yet they’d claimed to have followed all the rules that my blood really started boiling.

Really what they’d done was put a lot of people – my family and other families – at risk by not following all the same rules that you and I follow. They were using the same lifts as other guests, touching the same doors and surfaces which increases the chance of transmitting the virus.

When they said taken all precautions that’s what made my blood boil because I know they haven’t.

I sent an email to the SPFL after I saw the article with the Hibs statement. I just told them I’ve got an eye witness account that they have not necessarily followed all the necessary precautions. If they want to speak to me I will happily give them all the details.

The SPFL could have played the match on Saturday night or on Sunday with Hibs getting players left in Edinburgh to fulfil the fixture. It has now been rescheduled for Wednesday night.

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