SPL announce EBT commission
The long running saga could result in the club being stripped of five SPL titles if they are found guilty of making payments to players which weren’t registered in their contracts with the SPL and SFA.
HMRC have been investigating the matter but no verdict has yet been delivered in the so-called bug tax case.
With Rangers about to be liquidated the issue has become complicated with Sevco chief Charles Green attempting to claim their history without accepting any punishments or sanctions for the old club.
Tonight’s statement read: “The Scottish Premier League today announced that it has appointed an independent Commission to inquire into alleged EBT payments and arrangements made by Rangers in relation to players during the period from 2000 until 2011.
“The Commission will determine whether during that period in relation to alleged EBT payments and arrangements for players, Rangers was in breach of the relevant SPL Rules.
“In the event that the independent Commission decides that such breach or breaches occurred the independent Commission will have powers to determine what sanctions, if any, are appropriate.”
Rangers have admitted to paying their players through the EBT scheme with the debate with HMRC over whether they were discretionary payments or contractual.
EBT’s are legal as a means of bonus but not if they are contractual, in such cases they are liable to income tax and national insurance.
If Rangers are found guilty of not declaring all of their players earnings the SPL can declare matches involving those players to be void with 3-0 defeats shown in the record books.
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