The SFA have been forced to contact FIFA over their warped interpretation of new wording produced during the summer for the laws of the game.
Four matches into the new season there has been some incredible decisions out of Hampden that would defy logic in any other country.
Streetwise Scottish football fans however haven’t been surprised and quickly detected a pattern.
a) Alfredo Morelos successfully appeals a red card for clearly kicking an opponent, Gary Dicker (Kilmarnock) and Mikey Devlin (Aberdeen) fail in appeals against red cards that seemed ridiculously harsh.
b) Steven Gerrard claims that ‘Rangers’ have been on the wrong end of decisions for years- no charge. Steve Clarke suggests the appeal against Dicker’s red card was doomed because the SFA had to protect Willie Collum ahead of the Glasgow derby and he gets a misconduct charge.
c) Scotland heroes Allan McGregor and Steven Naismith are both seen kicking out at opponents, the referee decides not to punish them with the Compliance Officer opting against retrospective punishment.
Having set up a dangerous set of precedents the SFA are now looking for a way out.
The Daily Record reports:
Scotland’s referees are seeking urgent clarification from football’s law makers over what constitutes a straight red card ahead of the return of the top flight this weekend.
Record Sport understands the SFA has sent a video package of some highly-controversial early season flashpoints to the international authorities, asking for their guidance after the rule book was changed during the summer.
The clips are believed to include incidents involving Rangers pair Alfredo Morelos and Allan McGregor as well as Hearts striker Steven Naismith.
And it’s understood, on the back of this latest rumpus, chief executive Ian Maxwell requested clearer guidelines form Europe.
A Hampden source said: “There seems to be some uncertainty over the wording of some of the most recent rule changes. The SFA want to make sure that we are interpreting them in the correct way.
One of the things which seems to be causing an issue is the use of the word ‘brutality’. In Scotland we tend to think that means hitting someone over the head with an axe. We’re not sure it translates the same across Europe.
“But we are not the only ones experiencing some difficulty. In Poland for example, every hand ball inside the box has been given as a penalty, deliberate or not.
“New wording has been brought in and what we need across the board is a greater degree of clarity.”
It looks like the SFA are wanting to draw a line under the decisions that they have made and ratified in the opening weeks of the season- decisions that have gone entirely in favour of Sevco with other clubs robbed of justice.
Perhaps having some inconsistencies highlighted by Clarke has got someone inside Hampden worried?