Sturgeon tells football ‘to get house in order’
First Minister ‘frustrated’ after reports on Gers players
NICOLA Sturgeon has once again told football to “sort itself out”, amid an investigation into reports of Rangers players being at a party.
The First Minister said she doesn’t care which club is involved in Covid breaches but that football must get its “house in order”.
She said it made her want to swear when breaches involving players are brought up at the daily briefings.
Sturgeon was asked about the behaviour of footballers after Police Scotland confirmed that 10 people were issued with fixed penalty notices after a gathering in Glasgow in the early hours of Sunday and reports that Rangers players were involved.
A Rangers spokesman said: “Rangers are aware of an alleged incident which is subject to an internal investigation. We will make no further comment.”
Sturgeon said: “Sometimes, I feel it’s taking all my power not to use expletives when asked about football again.”
On the probe into Rangers players being at a house party, she said she was awaiting more information but that breaches were “really frustrating”.
She said: “I’ve not been given all the details of the Rangers incident yet, no doubt that will happen when the details are clearer. I know the club are investigating.”
She took aim at football in general – but specifically mentioned the two Old Firm clubs.
Sturgeon added: “Whenever football rears its head I’m accused of being partial to one club or another.”
She highlighted the special privileges that footballers have as elite athletes allowing them to continue playing, but also said when there are breaches it damages public confidence in the rules the rest of the public have to follow.
The First Minister added: “I don’t care what club it is that’s breaching the rules, if you’re breaching the rules you’re in the wrong and it’s really frustrating.
“It is really unfair to the vast majority of people who don’t have the privileges elite sports people do.
“People think ‘why am
To Scottish football, she said: “Make sure your house is in order. I don’t care whether it’s Celtic, Rangers or any other club.
I bothering?’”
“It’s not on, so breaking the rules.”
Separate incidents were reported last year involving players from Rangers, Celtic and Aberdeen. The First Minister has previously warned football authorities the sport was on a “yellow card”. please stop
I don’t care whether it’s Celtic, Rangers or any other club – it’s not on, so please stop breaking the rules
APERVERT who plied a 14-year-old girl with alcohol before performing two sex acts on her without consent faces a jail sentence.
Paul Balarsky, 20, pounced on the victim at his home in Glasgow’s Shawlands in August 2017.
The brute pinned the terrified girl on a bed, attempted to kiss her, before carrying out the assaults.
Balarsky committed similar crimes on a 15-year-old and 17-year-old girl between April 2017 and November 2018.
Balarsky was convicted by a jury at Glasgow Sheriff Court of four charges of sexually assaulting three teenage girls.
The court heard from the then 14-year-old girl who stated Balarsky jumped on top of her.
She told jurors in evidence: “He tried to kiss me and I didn’t want him to and I tried to move my face to the side and said no.
“I couldn’t really stop him because I was drunk.”
Balarksy then went on to commit two different sexual attacks on the girl.
The court heard of an earlier separate incident in which a 15-yearold girl was passed out drunk at a party in the city’s Pollokshields.
A friend put her to bed and checked on her through the night.
Prosecutor Mark Allan said: “What the friend saw was questionable as the accused was seen jumping up saying he wasn’t doing anything.
“She said there was weird about that.”
The victim later, when she was 16, in a separate incident, was also groped twice while asleep at the same property by Balarsky.
The court was told about an incident in November 2018 when Balarsky touched a sleeping 17-year-old girl at property in a something
Rutherglen, South Lanarkshire.
The girl woke up to find her jeans being unfastened.
She said: “He was trying to touch my genitals without consent.”
The girl jumped out of bed and ran out before telling a friend what happened.
Balarsky sent a text message saying: “I know what I did was awful, I’m struggling to comprehend what happened.
“I need to go to therapy for something like that, it’s my fault, it totally is, I have never done anything worse.”
Balarsky told jurors in evidence that some of the matters were as a result of a “misunderstanding”.
He claimed one of the victims lied.
Sentence was deferred until next month for background reports by Sheriff Alan Mackenzie.
Balarsky was put on the sex offenders register and granted bail meantime.