https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/spfl-covid-forfeit-plans-rejected-22947400
SPFL Covid forfeit plans rejected as clubs take stand against call-off plans
The governing body had hoped to be allowed to dish out punishments for postponements but clubs have refused to allow them that power.
Scotland's clubs have joined together to boot out a controversial proposal to impose mandatory 3-0 defeats for coronavirus call-offs.
But they can’t agree on how to end the season if the pandemic forces another lockdown.
Record Sport understand a sizeable majority of clubs from all four senior divisions have rejected the SPFL’s plan to dish out standard “walk-over” punishments to any side unable to fulfil league fixtures because of a Covid-19 outbreak.
The move had been tabled in a bid to streamline procedures which have led to league bosses launching disciplinary probes into potential protocol breaches at both Kilmarnock and St Mirren that led to call-offs.
A “no vote” is expected to be confirmed this week but it’s understood no such consensus has been reached regarding a raft
of additional suggested contingency measures should the season face further disruption.
Speaking when the clubs were sent a letter and questionnaire last month, Neil Doncaster said: “When the SPFL rules were drawn up many years ago, no- one could have foreseen the impact which Covid-19 would have on our game.
“The fact that our rules did not expressly cover the situation where a season must be curtailed with a number of matches remaining to be played, caused a great deal of uncertainty and delay in reaching a resolution last season. No-one wants to see that repeated.
“Many of our clubs support the principle of drawing up a set of protocols long before we get to the situation where league positions understandably influence the individual approach of clubs to these difficult situations. However, the proposal to allow the board a clearly specified and limited degree of authority to take action if we are unable to complete the season did not have sufficient support in the summer.
“Given the ongoing challenges caused to sport worldwide by Covid-19, several clubs have now indicated they have changed their position.
"The board wishes to establish if a sufficient number of clubs now wish to revisit this issue, so we can significantly reduce the uncertainty and division that arose towards the end of last season.
“Those circumstances were caused by the need to curtail the season, make promotions and relegations and cancel the play-offs, all in a written resolution. As we know, this effectively meant asking members to vote for the relegation of their club and other clubs in circumstances where the season could not be completed, with all the issues this prompted. If there is sufficient support to secure an amendment to the SPFL Rules, then all clubs will know well in advance of any need to curtail the season what the outcome will be – so far as it concerns league positions, promotion, relegation, play-offs, fees and qualification for UEFA competitions.
“The questionnaire is designed to assist the Board in recommending a resolution to member clubs as a means of giving the SPFL Board the express power to deal with any further Covid-19 related disruption to Season 2020/21.”
