It is about as blatant as a slap in the face. Or a barge in the side.
But the time for overhauling the Scottish FA’s disciplinary procedures has come.
The decision not to overturn James Keatings’ second yellow card against Rangers Colts, given for simulation despite strong video evidence to the contrary, left many baffled and at the end of their tethers.
For the organisation to then come out on Saturday and admit one of their panel members had not followed protocol – ironic, yes? – by reviewing all available evidence, just further underlined the staggering incompetence of the decision-makers here. It surely has to be the death knell for the current format.
Caley Thistle issued a strongly-worded statement on Wednesday evening that pulled few punches. They were left “incredulous and furious” at the decision to uphold the ban, while scathingly suggesting those on the three-man review panel had no understanding of football if they believed Keatings had dived.
Their further point about such matters denigrating the national game is one that has resonated.
It has prompted key figures at other clubs to come forward and call for change too. Alan Burrows, chief executive at Motherwell, called for the entire JPP (judicial panels protocol) to be “completely torn up and re-written”, while his counterpart at Hibernian Leeann Dempster indicated that little headway had been made in talking to the governing bodies about proposed changes.
Inverness’ statement indicated Aitken, in his submission to the panel, said from his viewpoint it appeared Keatings had dived. But then with clear, incontrovertible video evidence to the contrary – available in the press box at Caledonian Stadium and thousands of viewers at home – how could it have not been overturned? Or how could you not be bothered to even look at it again if you were on the panel?
The lack of transparency is galling, particularly when the SFA website simply lists the outcome as “dismissed – original sanction re-applied”. Their statement at the weekend was somewhat of a mea culpa but the damage has been done. They first fail to overturn a blatant wrong and in an embarrassing backtrack, admit someone supposed to do their job did it half-heartedly.
You can bet the SFA did not think this issue would blow up so spectacularly. Praise must go to Inverness; they have stood up not just for their player, but the the Scottish game as a whole.
At the centre of the storm has been Keatings, who had done little more than be body-checked on his way to goal. He had already scored an equaliser in a cup semi-final. For his game to end in that manner and to be deprived of a cup final appearance is a ridiculously harsh blow.
This has to be the line in the sand for change. Otherwise, what reason have clubs got to support those who run the game in Scotland?
