Weather is a major threat to weekend sporting fixtures

• The heavy snow is threatening to put a halt to this weekend's sporting action. Picture: Getty

Governing bodies remain hopeful that some fixtures can go ahead, but several already plan earlier-than-usual inspections and decisions. Even if pitches are deemed playable, the risk of travel for teams and spectators alike could force postponement.

In addition to the games postponed last weekend - some because of the weather, others as a result of the referees' strike, four Scottish Football League due to be played this evening were called off yesterday. Three matches - Cowdenbeath v Dunfermline, Dumbarton v Alloa, and Clyde v Queen's Park - have all been rescheduled for a week tonight. A fourth, Raith Rovers v Dundee, has yet to be given a new date.

If the adverse weather persists for the next two days, the SFL is expected to ask for pitch inspections on Thursday in some cases, rather than on Friday.

Most fixtures this weekend involve minimal travel, but Morton are due to visit Ross County and Albion Rovers are at home to Elgin, so in such cases an early decision would be required to ensure clubs do not travel unnecessarily.

The Scottish Premier League has no plans at this stage for early inspections, but is also likely to ask for them should matches be in jeopardy. Conditions on the roads in and around Aberdeen, where Celtic are the visitors for a noon kick-off on Saturday, could determine whether that match goes ahead.

Dundee United, who visit Inverness, can also expect an early decision, while St Johnstone v Hamilton may depend on the state of the A9. Rangers v Hearts, Hibernian v St Mirren and Motherwell v Kilmarnock are the other Saturday games. Rugby,where few clubs have undersoil heating, will almost certainly suffer a raft of cancellations. Inspections and cancellations are the responsibility of both clubs involved in each fixture, and once they agree to postpone a match they must inform the Scottish Rugby Union, whose permission is required before it can be rescheduled.

Adverse weather has caused a big backlog of fixtures in the domestic game in recent years, but so far no such problems have arisen. After this weekend's scheduled full Premiership programme, the next two weekends have been designated standby dates for postponed matches. Currie, Ayr and Melrose are involved in the British & Irish Cup on both 11 and 18 December, but all other clubs are free to rearrange games.

In the Magners League, Glasgow Warriors are confident their game at home to Italian club Treviso will go ahead as planned at Firhill on Friday evening. Partick Thistle's ground has undersoil heating, and the ground staff are practised in gritting spectator areas and car parks to ensure safety. Treviso are due to fly to Scotland on Thursday, so a definitive decision is expected the previous evening or at the very latest early on Thursday morning. Edinburgh are due to play the Ospreys in Swansea on Saturday, and at present plan to fly to Cardiff then proceed by bus to Swansea on Friday.

If no firm decision can be taken about the playability of Liberty Stadium, Edinburgh's contingency plan is to travel all the way by bus on Thursday. Last night the team had heard nothing from the Ospreys to suggest the match was in doubt.

In hockey, the entire card of Subway National League fixtures was lost to the weather, and the standings remain unaltered as the outdoor competition takes its traditional winter sabbatical until mid-February. With perfect timing, the indoor championships are due to start at the Bells Sports Centre in Perth over the next couple of months, although fixtures would be in doubt if road conditions in the area remain too treacherous.

For horse racing, prospects of any jumps meetings taking place in Britain this week look bleak, with tomorrow's Ayr fixture already a victim, having failed an inspection yesterday. A check of the snow and frostbound Craigie course proved to be a mere formality, and clerk of the course Emma Marley confirmed the cancellation.

If the cold snap continues into next week, there would be doubts over the meetings planned for Kelso on Sunday and Musselburgh on Monday.

Tomorrow's meeting at Catterick has also gone by the wayside, while an 8am inspection today has been called ahead of tomorrow's other jumps meeting at Plumpton.

Turning to Thursday's fixtures, Leicester and Market Rasen are having a look at 10am today, while Wincanton aim to hold out until 24 hours later.

Lingfield, who boast an all-weather Polytrack circuit, have again stepped into the breach, meanwhile, by announcing an additional all-weather card on Thursday.