Celtic have apparently called for the SFA to explain the double standards in dealing with disciplinary issues involving Ibrox players.
In contrast to the fast track punishment to Celtic and Boli Bolingoli the SFA took 44 days to suspend five Ibrox players with no matches postponed.
When the Ibrox side decided to appeal against the four match suspensions the SFA delayed the hearing until April 20 allowing then players to be used against Celtic in the Scottish Cup.
It will be over two months before anyone is suspended for a match with the SFA taking a vow of silence as they go about applying discipline for five players that were given Fixed Penalties by Police Scotland for breaking the law of the land.
The Daily Record reports:
Celtic have contacted the SFA demanding clarification over the delay in the Rangers Five case. Parkhead chiefs are seeking answers from Hampden beaks after charges against Nathan Patterson and fellow Ibrox rule breakers took nearly two months and an appeal will now be held after Saturday’s Scottish Cup derby showdown.
Record Sport understands the SFA delayed taking action after giving Rangers time to conduct their own investigation in to the illegal party that was broken up by cops at the start of February. But it took more than three weeks for the Ibrox club to conclude their findings and the governing body longer again to raise an action.
Patterson has been involved in six domestic games since the incident and will be free to face the Hoops, along with Calvin Bassey and Bongani Zungu.
Celtic are unhappy as Hampden chiefs hit them with punishment for Boli Bolingoli’s breach within four days earlier this season, with the Hoops having games postponed that left them playing catch up in the Premiership.
But a Celtic spokesman said: “There have been a number of calls for ‘consistency’ this season – we couldn’t agree more. We have therefore sought clarification from the Scottish FA so that Scottish football can understand the approach in disciplinary cases, in the interests of transparency and consistency.”
Celtic have previously issued statements complaining about the actions of Steven McLean and John Beaton then failed to follow it up with both men regularly refereeing Celtic fixtures. Seeking clarification is a favoured phrase.
New CEO Dom McKay moves into the club on April 20, this action may be the first sign of a new hard-line stance against the SFA although it is disappointing that the issue is raised in a newspaper rather than through the club’s own media channels.
