RANGERS may have to wait another two weeks before learning their fate for bringing the game into disrepute through deliberate non-payment of taxes.
The Scottish Football Association's Appellate Tribunal is due to sit again under Lord Carloway after Rangers successfully contested the year-long signing ban imposed on them. The tribunal will now consider other sanctions, ranging from expulsion from the Scottish Cup for one season to having Rangers' membership suspended or terminated altogether. The three-man panel cannot sit before Friday but Herald Sport has learned it may now not convene until the week starting June 18.
Rangers welcomed the verdict that the SFA were not in a position to hand down a signing embargo but may yet appeal the decision to return the case to the Appellate Tribunal, believing the case should instead be judged by a panel at the first stage of the process.
The SFA yesterday refuted Rangers' claim that they had no route to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport and cited their Articles of Association which refer to the powers of the board – "it may submit or refer claims by or against the Scottish FA to arbitration", adding in a statement: "No representation was made by the club to the Scottish FA to discuss the possibility or the process of seeking arbitration via the Court of Arbitration for Sport before Judicial Review was actioned."
However, that assertion was rejected by Rangers. "The Court of Session accepted Rangers' position that it had no alternative route of appeal," said a spokesman. "The judgment from Lord Glennie made it crystal clear. CAS would not have heard the case. We repeat, we would like to see an outcome where common sense prevails and there is no damage to other clubs in Scottish football. Rangers fully accept there should be a sanction but it ought to be proportionate given the circumstances the club was in, i.e. it was the victim of misdeeds of individuals no longer at the club."
The Scottish Premier League are also expected to announce next season's fixtures on June 18 and any suspension or termination of Rangers' membership would throw that into disarray.
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