The Scottish Football Association may consider using foreign match officials to lessen the effect of a referees strike this weekend.
| “We have an obligation to the leagues, supporters, clubs, sponsors and media partners to do our utmost to ensure all senior games are refereed” – SFA’s Stewart Regan |
“Fulfilling the weekend fixture calendar is our priority,” said chief executive Stewart Regan to BBC Scotland in a statement issued by the SFA.
“I have every sympathy for the refereeing fraternity at this time,” continued Regan. “I cannot, however, condone what will amount to strike action and believe we must now engage in positive dialogue to avert the possibility that we will have no football this weekend.
“We have an obligation to the leagues, supporters, clubs, sponsors and media partners to do our utmost to ensure all senior games are refereed,” he stressed.
“While we remain hopeful that the situation can be resolved to everyone’s satisfaction, we have no option but to draw up contingency plans, which will involve sourcing match officials in other countries.”
Meanwhile, SPL chief executive Neil Doncaster added it was vital that the weekend’s matches went ahead as scheduled.
“It’s for the SFA to deal with the referees and try to resolve the issue,” he said. “If the situation cannot be resolved and the strike goes ahead, we will back the contingency plans.”
