SFA Statement

Expelled from the Active Nation Scottish Cup in respect of "a number of breaches of the Cup Competition rules".

The Scottish FA can today confirm that after a meeting of the Emergency Committee at Hampden Park, Dunfermline Athletic Football Club have been expelled from the Active Nation Scottish Cup in respect of a number of  breaches of the Cup Competition rules.

The breaches of the Cup Competition rules are as follows:
? Playing a suspended player, Calum Woods
? Submitting an inaccurate team line
? Altering a named substitute
? Not registering two outfield under-21 players

In addition to the above breaches, Dunfermline Athletic also admitted  liability in failing to acknowledge the suspension of the aforementioned
 player, despite receiving 26 issues of the suspension list, in addition to the normal method of notification.

Subject to any appeal, Stenhousemuir FC will now take the place of Dunfermline Athletic for the fifth round of the competition, where they will play either Greenock Morton or Celtic on the weekend of February 6.

Gordon Smith, Chief Executive of the Scottish FA, commented: "While it is unfortunate that Dunfermline Athletic will no longer be  participating in the Active Nation Scottish Cup, the Emergency Committee were left with no alternative after it emerged the club had breached several of the Cup Competition rules.

"The integrity of the Active Nation Scottish Cup was paramount in the decision making process."

Owing to the appeals process, there will be no further comment at this stage from the Scottish FA.

For your information:-
The Cup Competition Rules can be found in the Scottish FA Handbook,
 P186 onwards and on the website here