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Rangers manager Derek McInnes handed four-match ban for 'disgusting' Celtic penalty remark
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Rangers manager Derek McInnes has been handed a four-game touchline ban, with one game suspended, by the Scottish FA for describing a late penalty awarded to Celtic as 'disgusting'. The comments were made at the end of last season when McInnes was in charge of Hearts, following a stoppage-time spot-kick given for handball against Motherwell, which Celtic converted to win 2-1. That victory kept Celtic one point behind Hearts, whom they later beat to the title. McInnes criticized the decision in a post-match interview, saying 'we're up against everybody'. The SFA's compliance officer issued complaints under disciplinary rule 72, which prohibits criticism of match officials indicating bias or incompetence. The suspended ban applies if McInnes breaches the rule again before the end of the 2026-27 season. Motherwell and former midfielder Elliott Watt have also been sanctioned over related social media posts.
Source report
Image caption: Derek McInnes will watch Rangers' opening games of the season from the stand
Rangers manager Derek McInnes has been handed a four-game touchline ban, with one game suspended, after describing the decision to award Celtic a late penalty at Motherwell as "disgusting."
The comments were made at the end of last season while McInnes was in charge of Hearts. They referred to a stoppage-time spot-kick given for handball, which was converted by Kelechi Iheanacho.
Celtic's 2-1 victory at Fir Park kept them one point behind Hearts, whom they later beat to the title in a final-day decider.
Speaking to Sky Sports after a win against Falkirk at Tynecastle, McInnes said:
"When you heard Celtic got a 96th minute penalty that was going to VAR and they were checking it, you just assume what's happened is they get the penalty.
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"Having seen it again, it's disgusting. It is.
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"I don't think it's a penalty kick.
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"But we're up against it. We're up against everybody."
Related Incidents
Following the late drama at Fir Park, referee John Beaton's contact details were posted online, with police keeping his home under surveillance. A teenager was subsequently charged "in connection with a data protection offence."
SFA head of referees Willie Collum backed the call, citing "clear evidence" that Sam Nicholson's hand and arm were "in an unnatural position" and that the resulting contact constituted "a punishable handball."
Motherwell and their former midfielder Elliott Watt have already been sanctioned over social media posts on the matter:
- Elliott Watt (since joined Turkish club Samsunspor) received a four-match suspension for describing the decision as "the worst VAR decision in history."
- Motherwell were fined £5,000 for releasing a video with the caption: "As the world of football mocks our game, we simply have to draw a line in the sand and shift the focus."
Disciplinary Rule
The Scottish FA compliance officer issued complaints to all three parties under disciplinary rule 72, which states:
"No recognised football body, club, official, team official or other member of team staff, player or other person under the jurisdiction of the SFA, shall in an interview, a 'blog' on the internet, on a social networking or micro-blogging site, or in any other manner calculated or likely to lead to publicity (i) criticise the decision(s) and/or performance(s) of any or all match official(s) in such a way as to indicate bias or incompetence on the part of such match official; or (ii) make remarks about such match official(s) which impinge on his character."
The suspended ban for McInnes will apply if he breaches rule 72 again before the end of the 2026-27 season.
Related Topics
- Football
- Scottish Football
- Scottish Premiership
- Rangers
Source
BBC SportWestern
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Rangers Manager Derek McInnes Banned for Criticizing Celtic Penalty Decision