Rangers are set to be affected by a change to testing protocols announced by the SPFL after St Mirren returned a number of positive tests.
The Paisley club has gone into lockdown after it emerged on Thursday afternoon that seven members of coaching and background staff had tested positive.
As yet, no player has returned a positive test but the Buddies’ weekend friendly against St Johnstone has been cancelled.
The SPFL and SFA Joint Response Group provided a swift response to the news, releasing an update on Thursday evening before St Mirren’s own statement [SPFL.co.uk].
The update confirmed that the Scottish Government had been notified and that the St Johnstone friendly had been cancelled.
Importantly, the JRG also ordered all clubs to “revert to twice-weekly testing protocols until further notice.”
There’s no evidence as yet that the flare-up at St Mirren will have affected any other clubs, with Hamilton Academicals players and staff all returning negative results since the weekend friendly between the two clubs.
This mandated change to testing protocols will have an affect on Rangers, though, who will have to return to more rigorous testing measures having previously switched to one round of testing per week as of 8 July.
There have been no cases amongst Rangers players or staff since the return to training, but the kick-off time of the friendly against Motherwell on Wednesday night was delayed while both squads waited for their results.
The Gers have another friendly against Coventry City on Saturday and are due to kick-off the Premiership season against Aberdeen at Pittodrie on Saturday 1 August.
