Regan backs SFA handling of cup final

STEWART REGAN last night defended the SFA’s handling of the Scottish Cup final pitch invasion and denied claims of a ‘whitewash’ in the aftermath. The SFA chief executive insisted that, while current rules mean clubs cannot be held responsible for the misbehaviour of fans, the police making 86 arrests was proof the real culprits of the chaos had been brought to account. And Regan, whose

advocacy of ‘strict liability’ has been thwarted by opposition from member clubs, stressed the independent nature of the sheriff’s report branded a ‘sham’ by Rangers. May’s showpiece final at Hampden was marred by a pitch invasion by Hibernian fans at full-time, quickly followed by Rangers supporters entering the field as violence broke out — with a number of Ibrox players and coaching staff caught up in the fray. Sheriff Principle Edward Bowen’s 56-page dossier, released in August, recommended creating a new criminal offence of entering the field of play, a law already on the statute books in England. It also cleared the SFA of any faults in police and stewarding arrangements on the day. Subsequent SFA charges against both Hibs and Rangers were thrown out because nothing in the current rules held them culpable for the behaviour of fans. Asked if the report had been merely a whitewash, Regan insisted: ‘This was an independent process. Let’s not forget that. ‘We put in place an independent judicial system. We instigated an independent review by Sheriff Bowen, he came back with a series of recommendations and those will be considered (at a board meeting in December). So I think to use terms like whitewash is really unfair.’ Addressing the criticism that failing to punish clubs meant nothing was being done to set a deterrent, Regan declared: ‘To those people that say there are no sanctions or that no action has been taken, you’ve only got to look at 86 arrests after the Scottish Cup final to see that the police are taking action. ‘That’s a huge number of arrests for a single sporting event, so I don’t think anyone can say there’s been no action taken against the perpetrators of those crimes.’ Justice secretary Michael Matheson urged clubs to take more responsibility for supporter behaviour — or risk government intervention — when he spoke at this summer’s SFA AGM. But SFA charges against both Hibs and Rangers were thrown out by an independent Judicial Panel in September, with the clubs told they had no case to answer. On this subject, Regan said clubs voting down his plans for the same kind of strict liability enforced by UEFA — making clubs answerable for the action of supporters — over three years ago had left the SFA powerless to act. ‘We went there with strict liability in 2013. As a members’ organisation, there wasn’t an appetite to put it in place,’ he insisted. ‘The rules are the rules. We are a members’ organisation and we have rules in place that have been strengthened. ‘It’s a decision for the members. It’s not for me or my colleagues on the board to make that decision.’