FIFA threaten blanket ban on Scottish football

[Touring Mars]

The ongoing debacle with Rangers FC threatens to spill over into a full scale crisis today, as FIFA reacted angrily to the overturning of the penalties imposed on Rangers by the Scottish FA (SFA).

Basically, FIFA have threatened to pull the plug on all non-domestic Scottish football, effectively banning all Scottish teams from European competitions, and even banning the Scottish national team from all international contests, unless the SFA impose severe penalties on Rangers. The SFA already banned Rangers from signing any new players next season, as well as imposing a £100,000 fine on the club, but these penalties were overturned by the Scottish courts yesterday, much to the chagrin of FIFA, who are now threatening to force the SFA into action.

OK, so banning Scotland from international competitions is a bit like throwing the UK out of the Eurovision Song Contest, but still - collective punishment anyone?

I can imagine that this is going to have a massive impact on Scottish football - imagine if Celtic are thrown out of the Champions League because bitter rivals Rangers can't pay their bills??

BBC article...

 

[Brend]

Seen this coming a mile away, even saved the facebook status I wrote about 7 months ago. When D&P decided that they would go to court it was always inevitable. SFA will have to impose a short ban on Rangers or it will be a lengthy ban for all of Scottish Football.

 

[Dennisch]

Oh no. What would the Champions league do without Celtic.

 

[Brend]

Oh no. What would the Champions league do without Celtic.

👍

The end is nigh!

 

[Touring Mars]

And Motherwell...

I appreciate that neither Celtic or Motherwell are likely to go very far in the CL, although Celtic have done OK in previous tournaments - but both teams stand to lose alot of money if they are expelled from all European tournaments - as both teams would also miss out on a potentially lucrative run in the Europa League if they failed to qualify for the group stages of the CL (which is pretty likely). Hearts and Dundee United would also miss out on Europa League football... that would be very harsh indeed.

 

[ASH32]

It's just FIFA blowing hot air again, I wouldn't worry about it yet. Also Rangers are bound to receive some other punishment now, maybe this time it'll be one that's actually in the rules and not just made up.

 

[Touring Mars]

It could well be that Rangers have shot themselves in the foot by challenging the SFA punishment, because now they have left the SFA with no choice but to impose a different punishment.

Here's an excellent summary from STV.