Gers win battle over transfer ban

Scottish giants Rangers yesterday won their court battle against a transfer embargo imposed by the Scottish Football Association (SFA).

The SFA’s disciplinary panel last month imposed a 12-month ban that stopped Rangers registering players aged 18 and over, but a judge at the Court of Session in Edinburgh ruled the panel acted outside of their powers.

Lord Glennie proposed that the case go back to the SFA appeal tribunal that upheld the initial decision by the judicial panel.

Following a three-hour hearing, the judge accepted the club’s petition for a judicial review as he ruled that the SFA could only administer the specific punishments stated in the rule relating to the disrepute charge.

Rangers received the embargo and £100,000 fine for breaching rule 66, which concerns bringing the game into disrepute.

They were also given fines of £50,000 for going into administration and £10,000 for failing to ensure that owner Craig Whyte acted within rules concerning fit and proper officials.

Whyte failed to notify the SFA that he had been disqualified as a director for seven years in 2000 and was punished with a life ban from any involvement in Scottish football.

The club were also found guilty of failing to pay Dundee United gate receipts from their Scottish Cup meeting.