Celtic confirm one player has tested positive for coronavirus following controversial trip to Dubai

Celtic confirm one player has tested positive for coronavirus following controversial trip to Dubai for training camp… which left Nicola Sturgeon questioning whether they had complied with social distancing rules

  • Celtic have confirmed one player has tested positive for coronavirus this week 
  • The club controversially travelled to Dubai for warm weather training 
  • The trip has sparked debate amid coronavirus and controversial pictures
  • Neil Lennon defended the trip while Nicola Sturgeon has questioned it 

Celtic have revealed that one of their players has tested positive for coronavirus following their controversial warm-weather training camp in Dubai.

The Scottish Premiership champions’ squad were tested upon their return to Glasgow after spending six days in the United Arab Emirates.

A club statement on Sunday afternoon read: ‘Celtic today confirmed that one player has recorded a positive test for Covid-19. Clearly the player will receive all our care and full support.

Celtic have confirmed one player has tested positive for Covid-19 after their trip to Dubai

Celtic have confirmed one player has tested positive for Covid-19 after their trip to Dubai

The Scottish champions visited the Middle East as part of a warm weather training camp

The Scottish champions visited the Middle East as part of a warm weather training camp  

‘All other members of our squad, management team and backroom squad are negative.’

Celtic had already faced criticism over their warm-weather training camp, with Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon questioning whether they were complying with social-distancing rules after photographs emerged on social media.

The pictures showed members of the Celtic squad not distancing or wearing face coverings.

The club had come under criticism over their warm-weather training camp in Dubai

The club had come under criticism over their warm-weather training camp in Dubai

Celtic manager Neil Lennon has defended their trip to Dubai for some mid-season training

Celtic manager Neil Lennon has defended their trip to Dubai for some mid-season training

On Saturday, assistant manager John Kennedy said the Hoops were guilty of ‘minor slip-ups’ in relation to Covid-19 protocols during their stay in the Middle East, but insisted the club did all they could to follow the guidelines.

Boss Neil Lennon had previously defended the club’s trip to Dubai. 

Stressing that the trip had been arranged with the approval of the Scottish Government and the football authorities, though, Lennon said its only purpose was sporting benefit.

‘We are sure the camp will be really important for us,’ he said.

‘It is the same format as previous years, obviously with one significant difference being the protocols in place for Covid, but we hope that we get the same lift from it and can go on another great run in the New Year as we did last season, that’s our real focus just now.’

Celtic are scheduled to host Hibernian in the Scottish Premiership on Monday night.

Nicola Sturgeon has questioned the trip after pictures emerged of staff and players drinking

Nicola Sturgeon has questioned the trip after pictures emerged of staff and players drinking

source: dailymail.co.uk