Derek McInnes will watch Rangers' opening three domestic games of the season from the stand after the club said it intends to contest a four-match touchline ban handed to the manager for calling Celtic's late penalty award against Motherwell in May “disgusting”.
The comments were made at the end of last season, when McInnes was in charge of Hearts, and related to a stoppage-time spot-kick for handball that was converted by Kelechi Iheanacho. Celtic's 3-2 victory at Fir Park on 13 May kept them one point behind Hearts, who they beat to the title a few days later in a final-day decider.
Rangers said the Scottish FA penalty, which amounts to an immediate three-game ban with one match suspended until the end of the season, should be challenged because the remarks were “directed at the decision, rather than representing any broader criticism of officials”.
What did McInnes say after the match?
Speaking to Sky Sports after a win against Falkirk at Tynecastle the same night, McInnes said:
“When you heard Celtic got a 96th-minute penalty that was going to VAR and they were checking it, you just assume what's happened is they get the penalty.
“Having seen it again, it's disgusting. It is.
“I don't think it's a penalty kick.
“But we're up against it. We're up against everybody.”
McInnes is due to be in the stands as Rangers begin the Scottish Premiership away to Dundee United on 31 July. The same conditions apply for the following league game at home to Hibernian and for a League Cup tie on the weekend of 15/16 August.
The ban does not cover the Europa League qualifier against Polish side Jagiellonia Bialystok.
Why are Rangers disputing the sanction?
Rangers say McInnes's “concerns were widely shared by other commentators across the UK” and add that “similar language has previously been used in Scottish football by others with lesser disciplinary action or without any action at all.”
The club also argue that “Respect for officials and legitimate scrutiny are not competing principles.” They say “Managers, players and clubs must be able to speak honestly about major decisions if Scottish football is serious about raising standards and maintaining trust.”
Rangers added: “Scrutiny, transparency and accountability should be seen as part of improving standards, not as a threat to them.”
What happened after the Fir Park controversy?
After the late drama at Fir Park, referee John Beaton's contact details were posted online, with police keeping his home under surveillance. A teenager was then charged “in connection with a data protection offence”.
SFA head of referees Willie Collum backed the call, citing “clear evidence” with Sam Nicholson's hand and arm “in an unnatural position” and the resulting contact “a punishable handball”.
Motherwell and their former midfielder Elliott Watt have already been sanctioned over social media posts on the matter. Watt, who has since joined Turkish club Samsunspor, received a four-match suspension, having described it as “the worst VAR decision in history”. Motherwell were fined £5,000 for releasing a video with the caption: “As the world of football mocks our game, we simply have to draw a line in the sand and shift the focus.”
The Scottish FA compliance officer issued complaints to all three parties under disciplinary rule 72, which states that: “No recognised football body, club, official, team official or other member of team staff, player or other person under the jurisdiction of the SFA, shall in an interview, a 'blog' on the internet, on a social networking or micro-blogging site, or in any other manner calculated or likely to lead to publicity (i) criticise the decision(s) and/or performance(s) of any or all match official(s) in such a way as to indicate bias or incompetence on the part of such match official; or (ii) make remarks about such match official(s) which impinge on his character.”
