Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes has called for a Covid-19 compliance officer to be appointed to help ensure clubs are meeting safety protocols in Scottish football.
Kilmarnock and St Mirren were both punished last week for their games being postponed due to Covid-19 cases within the playing staff.
Both clubs were informed the postponed matches – two for Saints and one for Killie – would be forfeited as 3-0 defeats and were fined £40,000 each, suspended until June 30.
The punishment came after St Mirren and Kilmarnock admitted they had breached social distancing rules on buses and meals while some Saints players had shared cars to and from training.
McInnes believes forfeits are the last outcome any club in Scotland wants and has called for clubs to be given more support to ensure they are complying with the measures put in place.
He said: “I feel any team that has to forfeit a game is the last scenario we want and it is harsh on Kilmarnock and St Mirren. I don’t know why they have come to that conclusion.
“I understand it’s a fine balancing act for the authorities and clubs need to be accountable, but I think this is a case of them wanting to show a firm hand.
“But I do think we’re learning all the time. We need somebody, some sort of compliance authority to drop in on training grounds without any announcement.”
Aberdeen and Celtic were both fined earlier in the season for breaches of the regulations, but did not have to forfeit matches due to players not following social distancing measures while away from the club.
Dundee United are also under scrutiny after players and their coaching staff were forced to isolate following a positive test last week with the test being returned just days after the squad had come together for a team photograph.
McInnes has also raised his fears some social distancing measures at clubs do not meet the criteria laid out and believes more assistance is needed from the authorities to ensure clubs are fulfilling their obligations.
He said: “The Dundee United thing is a separate issue. I’m pretty sure they will come to regret the decision to have a team photo and I was surprised when I saw it.
“We’re all under pressure to make sure our players are looked after, but I have to say we have been to a couple of away grounds where we’ve felt we have been crammed in to a space where we have felt we are not socially distanced.
“We have been put more at risk and we can clearly do better, but the clubs have done brilliantly. I have to say that, when you think of the financial commitment we’ve had to make, without any help, to put these measures in place, has been massive.
“Clubs are doing a lot right, but clearly we’re not as right as we need to be.”