Rangers question ‘inconsistent’ Scottish FA in statement after fine at Ibrox
Rangers are striving for positivity this summer as they look to rebuild under new manager Russell Martin.
Rangers recently discovered their Champions League fate, with the Gers set to face Panathinaikos in the second round of qualifying.
However, the excitement around that fixture has now been dampened as the Ibrox club face disciplinary action.
Given the tone of their statement, it seems that Rangers will not sit back and take the punishment handed to them.
Scottish FA punish Rangers for Hibernian incident
Rangers ended the Scottish Premiership season with a 2-2 draw against Hibernian in Barry Ferguson’s final game in charge.
The result ended a disappointing season for the Bears, with Nicolas Raskin and Cyriel Dessers on the scoresheet.
| Score | Hibernian goalscorers | Rangers goalscorers |
| Hibernian 2-2 Rangers | Martin Boyle, Kieron Bowie | Nicolas Raskin, Cyriel Dessers |
While that match is now a distant memory, the Scottish FA have taken action against the Glasgow club for what occurred during the game.
Rangers have been found guilty by a Scottish FA judicial panel to have been in breach of Disciplinary Rule 38, according to the club website (19 June).
This is following a remark made during commentary of the Gers’ clash with Hibs, and the Ibrox club have been fined £3,000.
Former defender John Brown called a refereeing decision “corrupt” while commentating on Rangers TV.
Rangers released a lengthy statement lamenting the decision by the Scottish FA and are calling for consistency.
“As part of our defence today, we flagged numerous examples of similar incidents on club channels.
“These incidents raise legitimate questions about Scottish FA rules and how consistently they are enforced. To our knowledge, none of these cases appear to have resulted in charges against the respective clubs.
“The lack of consistency with the Scottish FA’s policing of similar incidents leaves more questions than answers.”
Scottish FA appear to have made an example of Rangers
The strong wording of the Bears’ statement explains exactly why they feel aggrieved by the Scottish FA’s action.
One of their points is that Brown was speaking spontaneously during commentary with unscripted words.
It does seem that the Glasgow club have a point, after all, commentators speak live and are bound to slip up now and again.
Furthermore, it is not as if pundits, commentators, and fans do not criticise referees on a regular basis.
Of course, the word “corrupt” is the reason for the action, and it is a strong word to use. However, perhaps a warning would have been more fitting.
The heavy policing of the game and action against open speech is bound to be controversial, and this could be a turning point. Rangers will now keep a close eye on similar acts in the future, as they do not want to be made an example of.
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