Manager's Tribunal Decision

22/12/11: The tribunal ruled that there had been no breach of Rule 68.

An SFA Judicial Panel Tribunal met on Thursday 22 December 2011 to consider a breach by Dunfermline Manager Jim McIntyre of Rule 68. The alleged breach applied to comments made after the Rangers v Dunfermline match at Ibrox on Saturday 3rd December. The tribunal ruled that there had been no breach of Rule 68.

Jim McIntyre had made the comments in an interview with BBC Radio Scotland about the penalty given by referee Steve Conroy. This was the same incident that a similar tribunal decided that Rangers Sone Aluko had gone done rather easily and awarded him a two match ban.

The Pars gaffer was pleased with the outcome of the hearing where he was represented by former Pars keeper Derek Stillie who is now a fully qualified London lawyer. Macca said:-

"The notice of complaint that was served upon me was based upon the fact that I was having a go at the referee's performance when actually what I was doing was having a goal at the decision for the penalty. I wasn't slagging the referee off for his whole performance, just that one decision that we felt should have been spotted.

"It was proven that it was a dive and Aluko served his two match ban. If I was to be punished it wouldn't have looked very good. What I will say for my own own part that probably I was a bit too harsh using the word disgrace. I could have put that across better; I will learn from it as well. The referees have a very hard job and we have to be mindful of that. Sometimes it is not as easy in the heat of the moment and you have just seen the incident from your own camera people before you go and speak to the media."

Rule 68: No recognised football body, club, official, Team Official or other member of Team Staff, player or other person under the jurisdiction of the Scottish FA, 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 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. For the avoidance of doubt this rule applies (i) whether reported to the Scottish FA by a referee for misconduct or otherwise, and (ii) where remarks are brought to the Scottish FA's attention, or of which the Scottish FA becomes aware, by whatever manner or means.