SFA say Rangers fine 'in keeping with rules'
The Scottish FA say the imposition of a fine on Rangers following a comment by John Brown made on club media "was entirely in keeping with the application of the rules".Rangers said on Thursday the SFA "will be watched closely" after the £3,000 penalty.In a match against Hibernian, Nicolas Raskin appeared to bundle the ball over the line, with the SFA's key match incident panel later ruling the goal should have stood.The Ibrox club feel there has been a "lack of consistency with the Scottish FA's policing of similar incidents".But the SFA said a recent "sanction imposed on Richard Foster of Motherwell FC for comments of a similar nature in the media, attests to" consistency.
On 17 May at Easter Road, referee Nick Walsh and his on-field officials thought the ball had been kept out by Hibs defender Rocky Bushiri, and VAR Andrew Dallas ruled that there was no camera angle that proved Raskin's effort had gone in.Hibs equalised through Kieron Bowie moments later, with the match finishing 2-2.Brown said on the club's in-house TV channel: "I would say it is corrupt."Commentator Tom Miller replied: "Well, I'm not sure we can actually say that." However, Brown added: "Well, I am saying it."Rangers subsequently demanded the introduction of goal-line technology and said of the fine on Thursday: "If this is now the standard, they will be watched closely to ensure it is applied across the board, consistently, without exception and without favour."However, the SFA countered: "The sanction imposed by an independent panel was entirely in keeping with the application of the rules."Investigations were undertaken in previous cases outlined and that the compliance officers of the time saw fit to issue a censure by way of warning letter for potential breaches deemed insufficiently serious to be progressed to a notice of complaint."We have requested written reasons from the panel chair involved in the tribunal and in the interests of transparency will publish in due course."The SFA added that the relevant protocol had been introduced "in response to the referee strike of 2010, when match officials campaigned for greater protection after enduring sustained personal criticism from clubs and fans"."Ahead of a new season, we remind clubs of their responsibilities in this regard," the governing body said.
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Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
CALUM McCLURKIN: American Affair's Royal Ascot triumph is a Scottish sporting success story to savour
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Until a couple of weeks ago when American Affair won the King Charles III Stakes. The Pattern formula was only introduced in 1971 and Scotland has waited since its induction for its first Group One success. Make no mistake, this is Scotland's most significant race win on the Flat since Rockavon won the 2,000 Guineas in 1961. That was only the third Scottish-trained winner at Royal Ascot. Big Timer won the Wokingham Stakes Handicap for Linda Perratt in 2008. You'd have to go back to Lanercost's Gold Cup win in 1841 for the only other known Scottish-trained success at the royal meeting. This was the first at Group One level. And in an era where deep pockets and powerhouse breeding operations rule the sport with an iron fist, for Goldie to achieve the success with a home bred is nothing short of extraordinary. This was a victory for patience and familiarity. Rated a lowly 67 at Carlisle at the beginning of his career, American Affair has risen through the ranks as a sprinter. 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The Herald Scotland
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The National
2 hours ago
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SWPL managing director Fiona McIntyre is hoping that the restructure can ultimately lead to a fully professional top tier but in terms of short-term goals, Ross can see the immediate benefit to fewer games. 'You definitely do see it at points when there are three game weeks in the season,' she said. 'At City we have worked really hard to manage the workload in terms of what we do off the park and with recovery but I do think that having fewer games definitely helps. 'If you have teams competing in the Champions League, which is obviously the highest level that you can get in club football, then not having such a hectic schedule to contend with can help you spread the load.' City will hope to make it back into the Champions League this term with the competition restructured to mirror that of last season's men's competition. It is an arduous road to get there with the non-champions route always particularly fraught. Last term Rangers drew eventual winners Arsenal at the qualification stage and while City's pairing against Austria Vienna – and then Minsk should they negotiate the first hurdle - is not quite so daunting, it is no walk in the park. Quarter-finalists twice, they lost to Brann two seasons ago the last time they were in the competition. 'I think it could have been a harder draw when you look at the teams that were in there,' said Ross. 'It is a difficult pathway to reach the league stage of the competition and we are well aware of that. 'But there is a huge prestige that goes with playing Champions League football, as this club well knows. We can't be looking too far ahead of ourselves. It is important that we just focus on each game as it comes rather than imaging the scenario of being in there.' Ross, meanwhile, has revealed that while there is much to excite City in the coming season, they cannot proceed without a look over their shoulder. Runners up to Hibs in the league, City brought the curtain down on the campaign with a limp 3-0 defeat to Rangers in the Scottish Cup final at Hampden to ensure they ended the season trophyless for a second successive season. 'It is always difficult when you finish off the season with a defeat like,' said Ross. 'There is no game to prepare for and so no way to get it out of your system. 'The players all disperse for international commitments and holidays so it does stay with you. 'We don't shy away from that. I have looked back on it and when the players are back in for pre-season it is something that we will analyse again because it is important that you reflect on it. 'But these are the positions that we want to be in. We want to be competing in finals and challenging for titles. It is always going to be the ambition of this club.' And Ross is also confident that there will be new faces as City look towards the new season. 'That work is always ongoing, it doesn't just start when the season ends and the window opens,' she said. 'We are always working on identifying players and preparing not just for this window but for the next one as well. 'I'm confident that when the season starts we will be in a good position in terms of where the squad is. 'It is always exciting looking towards a new campaign and this is no different. Our targets are always to go and be as successful as we can be. That has also been the approach from City.'
