Sturgeon: I have sympathy for fans

NICOLA Sturgeon insists she understands football fans' frustration at being locked out of stadia but maintains the restrictions are "inescapable" for now.

- LIAM BRYCE

Outdoor sporting events in Scotland have been limited to 500 spectators until at least January 17 in a bid to curb Omicron.

With top-flight crowds severely limited, the Scottish Premiership winter break was brought forward with a view to minimising the number of games punters will miss.

Some supporters have pointed to "inconsistency" in effectively shutting down large outdoor venues such as Ibrox and Celtic Park when the public are still able to congregate in large indoor areas such as shopping centres.

The First Minister delivered an update on the pandemic on Wednesday and took questions from MSPs, where she was asked to address the perceived anomaly.

"Yes, I do understand the importance of sport, football and, indeed, other spectator sport," Sturgeon said.

"The benefits of that are seen in terms of mental health and a whole load of other ways.