Decision to penalise self-isolating teams was ‘cut-throat’, SFA president says

Whalsay played Delting in a now infamous fixture. Photo: Brian Gray

The Shetland Football Association (SFA) was “a bit too cut-throat” with senior teams Delting and Whalsay, its president has said.

The sides were handed 3-0 defeats in the Ocean Kinetics Premier League on Monday after NHS Shetland told both squads to isolate.

That led to a strong reaction on social media from people who questioned why the games could not simply be rescheduled – especially so early in the season.

SFA president Iain Smith agreed with the criticism, saying he had wanted the association to “just give them a bit of slack”.

He said he had been “outgunned” by his fellow committee members.

Senior clubs agreed in March that if any team could not fulfill a fixture due to Covid isolation then their opponents should be awarded a 3-0 walkover victory.

But Delting unwittingly found themselves on the receiving end of the punishment after playing Whalsay last week, before one of their players tested positive.

Both sides will return to action tonight (Friday).