Coronavirus: Six St Mirren staff get all-clear as Rangers face probe - BBC News
Seven coaches and backroom staff at the football club initially tested positive for coronavirus.
None of the St Mirren players have failed their regular Covid tests

Six of the seven coaches and backroom staff at St Mirren who initially tested positive for Covid-19 have now been given the all-clear.

The Paisley club was put into lockdown after the first batch of results emerged on Thursday evening.

But further testing by the NHS has since confirmed just one positive case among staff at the Premiership outfit.

Meanwhile, it has emerged Rangers face an SFA probe into whether the club may have breached testing protocols.

The SFA want to know if Ibrox players, who took part in a game against Dundee United on Wednesday, had been given the necessary results in time.

Although no St Mirren player has tested positive, the Paisley side's planned Saturday friendly at home to St Johnstone has been cancelled.

In a statement posted on the club's website, St Mirren chief executive Tony Fitzpatrick said the one remaining staff member to have tested positive was in "strict isolation" and has not been in contact with any player or other staff member since Saturday.

"The club will continue to support and look after this staff member to ensure a full recovery," he added.

He said the club had "complied robustly" with the official testing and hygiene regime, and he said they would be "urgently reviewing" testing arrangements given the initial false positive results at a private facility.

The chief executive said players were tested on Monday and had returned 100% negative tests, however test results for seven of the coaching staff undertaken at the same time, showed they were positive for Covid-19.

"We immediately implemented strict isolation protocols and made further arrangements for the coaching staff to be retested at NHS testing facilities on Thursday 23rd," he said.

"I'm very pleased to report that six of the subsequent coaching staff tests have now come back negative this morning.

"The remaining member of the coaching staff has confirmed as a positive test result and continues to be in strict isolation and has not come into contact with any member of the playing or coaching staff since Saturday 18th July."

Following the news from St Mirren Park, Premiership clubs have been ordered to revert to two Covid tests per week rather than one.

Scottish football's joint response group (JRG) said: "We immediately contacted the Scottish government and the office of the clinical director for Scotland to relay this information.

"In light of this and other recent events, the JRG hereby notifies Scottish Premiership clubs that with immediate effect they must revert to twice-weekly testing protocols until further notice."

St Mirren, who start their competitive campaign at home to Livingston on 1 August, last played Hamilton Academical in a friendly on Saturday.

Hamilton Academical said all players and backroom staff were tested two days after that match, with all returned results being negative.

A statement from the club said: "Following the departure of the St Mirren squad on Saturday, the area used was cleaned and disinfected.

"The location occupied by St Mirren was a segregated area at the far end of our stadium and is separate from the areas used by Hamilton Accies' players and staff on a matchday. Subsequently on Monday, all players and backroom staff were tested with all results returned negative.

"Hamilton Academical will continue to follow advice from the SFA/SPFL joint response group."

Meanwhile, Rangers' investigation relates to two friendly matches played on Wednesday.

Current rules state players cannot take part in any matches unless they have negative test results from weekly screenings.

The Ibrox club's friendly against Motherwell on Wednesday was delayed by two hours due to results being held up.

But, earlier that day, squad members took part in another closed doors match against Dundee United at the club's training centre.

The SFA is now looking to see if the players who took part in that game had the necessary results in time.

Motherwell and Hibs have also been asked to explain delayed results which have impacted matches.

Scottish football's governing body has already written to clubs reminding them of the importance of sticking to the rules ahead of the new season kicking off on 1 August.