Gordon Smith has revealed that when he was Chief Executive of the SFA he received a number of complaints from UEFA about matters involving Rangers.
The response of the leading Scottish administrator was to ask UEFA about Celtic!
Whataboutery is often referred to in dismissive terms in the media but it is clear that it was a practise that went to the highest levels of the Scottish game.
Have I got this right?
When Gordon Smith was working with the @ScottishFA, he was told by UEFA they were getting a lot of complaints about Rangers.
His response wasn’t to address this, but to ask ‘What about @CelticFC?”
Really? https://t.co/zopDaZUQDY
— BJH (@BJH80) April 26, 2020
Smith gave up his career in the media in June 2007 to replace David Taylor as CEO of the SFA but resigned due to personal reasons in April 2010.
In June 2006 UEFA banned singing of The Billy Boys by Rangers fans with the SFA enforcing the sanction, previously no action had ever been taken over anti-Catholic or anti-Irish abuse inside Scottish football grounds.
Twice this season parts of Ibrox have been closed for UEFA ties due to racist actions by fans, again no action has been taken domestically.
Over the last few years a number of fan radio stations and podcasts have appeared online with more mainstream guests making appearances. It seems that the informal settings have resulted in Smith giving away some details about the mindset in operation within the SFA.
Stewart Regan and now Ian Maxwell have followed Smith as CEO of the SFA.