Rangers and Celtic face disciplinary charges over the unrest that followed their Scottish Cup meeting at Ibrox in March. The Scottish Football Association has issued identical notices of complaints to both clubs as it published the independent review on the events surrounding the quarter-final tie.
Both are accused of breaching the SFA's rule 37, which centres on
"good order and security" and "unacceptable conduct". The rule covers
"policies and procedures"and whether clubs take appropriate measures to identify and deal with supporters who engage in unacceptable conduct. The clubs face hearings on 13 August.
What happened at Ibrox on 8 March?
There were clashes on the pitch after eventual cup-winners Celtic prevailed via a penalty shoot-out on 8 March. Some visiting fans spilled onto the playing surface to celebrate, with home supporters then trying to confront them as fireworks were thrown back and forth. At least 37 people have been arrested over the trouble, which resulted in injuries to police and stewards.
What does the independent review say?
Meanwhile, the review describes the events of 8 March as
"a near miss", saying the ugly scenes
"came within a very small margin of becoming a violent mass confrontation". Lead author Mark Blackbourne also states that a
"crushing incident was a real and foreseeable risk"due to
"noncompliant Ultra group fans surging past police and stewards".
The report adds:
"Ultra groups exercise a power over clubs and the wider supporter base that is disproportionate to their size"and that
"there seems to be no independent external scrutiny of the clubs' or Police Scotland's operational plans for high-risk fixtures". It is also pointed out that
"the current sanctions framework holds individuals accountable but largely insulates clubs from the consequences of their supporters' behaviour", saying this provides
"insufficient motivation"to curb the problem.
What changes does the review call for?
The review calls for stronger sanctions, suggesting the SFA
"has the disciplinary powers to act more severely than they have done but have chosen not to use them". An independent SFA judicial panel will consider the review, with chief executive Ian Maxwell saying:
"We will work together with the SPFL, clubs, Police Scotland and Scottish government to ensure no repeat of the events that tarnished the image and reputation of the game."
Key Facts
- Rangers and Celtic face identical notices of complaints from the Scottish Football Association.
- The charges relate to rule 37 on good order and security and unacceptable conduct.
- The clubs will have hearings on 13 August.
- At least 37 people were arrested after the trouble at Ibrox on 8 March.
- The independent review was led by Mark Blackbourne and described the incidents as a near miss.
