CELTIC has defended its decision to go on a warm-weather training camp in Dubai amid the Covid-19 pandemic after the Scottish league football club was accused of not setting "a particularly great example".
It comes as Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon yesterday also raised questions about the trip and said that possible breaches of social distancing rules while in the Middle East "should be looked into".
The premier league club, which is managed by Lurgan-born Neil Lennon, has insisted their trip to the United Arab Emirates was approved by the Scottish government, following calls from Holyrood for the matter to be investigated by the Scottish Football Association (SFA).
The squad travelled to Dubai on Saturday, just hours after the team's Old Firm defeat.
Celtic maintains it has done nothing wrong and in a series of Twitter posts said that the "training camp was arranged a number of months ago and approved by all relevant footballing authorities and Scottish government" in November.
"The team travelled prior to any new lockdown being in place, to a location exempt from travel restrictions," the club said.
"The camp, the same one as we have undertaken for a number of years has been fully risk assessed.
"If the club had not received Scottish government approval then we would not have travelled."
Scotland's deputy first minister John Swinney accused Celtic of not setting "a particularly great example", while Ms Sturgeon called for possible breaches of social distancing rules to be investigated.
It comes after photographs emerged of members of the Celtic party in the UAE not wearing face masks and potentially breaching the social distancing rules that those in Scottish football must adhere to.
"For me, the question for Celtic is what is the purpose of them being there," she said.
"I've seen comments from the club that it's more for R&R than training.
"I've also seen photographs that would raise questions in my mind about whether everything that elite players in a bubble must comply with are being complied with."
It remained unclear last night if the Scottish FA will investigate the matter.
The UAE is on the Scottish government's exempt list, meaning travellers do not have to self-isolate on their return.
