Police anger as clubs face no action for cup disorder
RANK and file police officers are warning that not forcing Hibernian and Rangers to pay for damage to Hampden during the Scottish Cup final disorder is sending the wrong public message.
Both clubs escaped punishment yesterday as a judicial panel dismissed an SFA complaint that called for the clubs to cover the cost of the destruction at the National Stadium.
The rejection of strict liability rules to tackle fan misbehaviour was a major factor.
Hibs triumphed 3-2 on May 21 to win the cup for the first time in 114 years. But the post-match celebrations were marred by scenes of crowd disorder, a pitch invasion and damage to goalposts, corner flags, seats and advertising hoardings.
The SFA had claimed the surface of the pitch, a set of goalposts and parts of the LED advertising system had been damaged by Hibs fans. Rangers supporters also stood accused of damaging advertising equipment and advertising hoardings at the perimeter of the pitch.
But the independent judicial panel decision means neither club are obliged to pay a penny for the the damage caused. Hibs welcomed the decision and revealed it had paid an undisclosed sum to cover for damage to the pitch.
The Hibernian Supporters Association has been raising £4,733 to pay for damage to the goalposts, corner flags, pitch and seats.
The main decision to reject the pursuit of Hibs for damage to the ground, meant the SFA case against Rangers was withdrawn.
But Calum Steele, general secretary of the Scottish Police Federation, said: “The general perception that individuals can behave in any manner they want, cause whatever damage what they want, and unless that happens to be caught or identified by police inquiries [will not get punished], is one which will strike the vast majority of the public as very, very strange indeed.”
More than 70 Rangers and Hibs
supporters have so far been arrested for violence on the pitch, with Rangers players Wes Foderingham and Andy Halliday among those assaulted by rival fans.
The clubs were alleged to have breached a disciplinary rule which states “damage was sustained to Hampden... as a consequence of misbehaviour by supporters”. But the panel unanimously dismissed the complaint as “irrelevant” and said strict liability rules were a factor.
Strict liability, allows for clubs to be punished for the conduct of its fans regardless of whether the club itself is to blame. It is used by Uefa for European competitions but the Scottish Professional Football League clubs voted against its introduction. The panel chairman’s notes of reason said: “We posed the question – what should the club have done or not done to avoid an infringement of Rule 28? We found ourselves unable to answer that question. From the information which we have, there is a limited appetite for strict liability within Scottish football.”