Treatment of compliance officer ‘unfair’ says SFA boss

The Scottish Football Association has defended compliance officer Clare Whyte over “unacceptable” and “grossly unfair” criticism.

Rangers managing director Stewart Robertson this week claimed there was confusion and inconsistency in the SFA’S disciplinary procedures and claimed Whyte was mainly picking up incidents highlighted on television.

Hibernian chief executive Leeann Dempster had previously claimed the system was unfair.

However, SFA chief executive Ian Maxwell stressed that Whyte, pictured acts “independently and in accordance with the rule book”.

He added: “Misunderstanding on the remit of the compliance officer not only endures but in recent weeks the criticism has been unacceptable. Not only has it been personal in nature, it has also been grossly unfair.

“Contrary to opinion, the compliance officer does not offer any judgement on any incident.

“When an incident has been identified, the compliance officer asks one fundamental question: was the incident seen, in its entirety, by the match officials?

“If the answer is yes, the matter is closed pursuant to IFAB Law 5: the match official’s decision is final.

“If the answer is no [eg an off-the-ball incident or the officials view was blocked], the incident is referred to three former category one referees.

“Each is asked whether the incident would have resulted in a sending off offence or deemed an act of simulation had it been witnessed at the time. If all three independently reach the unanimous view that the unseen incident constituted one of these, the matter is then progressed. If not, then no retrospective action can be taken.

“From then on it is for the fast track tribunal to determine whether there has been a breach of the disciplinary rules.”