Football chief calls for spot checks of virus certificates

THE chief executive of the Scottish Professional Football League has joined the backlash against vaccine passports, warning that clubs will not be able to check certificates of all supporters going to matches.

SPFL boss Neil Doncaster called for spot checks rather than blanket inspections of vaccine certificates.

He said: ‘I think spot-checking is the only practical reality because if you are expecting clubs to vaccine passport check 30,000 or 40,000 people in the minutes before kick-off, that’s simply not going to happen. I don’t think it’s achievable, realistically.’

Mr Doncaster also said it is ‘no surprise’ the UK Government has scrapped plans for vaccine passports, but stopped short of calling for the same to happen in Scotland.

He added that he ‘respects’ the view of the Scottish parliament which voted last week to bring vaccine passports in for nightclubs and larger events from October 1.

This includes outdoor events of more than 10,000, which will cover larger football clubs’ matches.

Mr Doncaster told BBC Scotland’s The Sunday Show: ‘We did make it clear that when the idea of vaccine passports was first mooted that we thought it was a difficult concept.

‘It’s no surprise to see the announcement this morning by the UK Government that the plans for vaccine passports will be scrapped.

‘We had huge concerns about how practical they are in the context of an outdoor environment where there is very little, if any, evidence that people gathering in those environments help spread the virus.

‘However it is implemented, it has to be practically achievable.’