Rangers are aiming to challenge the four-match death penalty handed out to manager Derek McInnes by describing as “disgusting” the decision to award Celtic a late penalty at Motherwell in May.
The comments, made at the end of last season when McInnes was in charge of Hearts, related to a handball being converted by Kelechi Iheanacho.
Celtic’s 3-2 win at Fir Park on 13 May kept them within one point of Hearts, who they beat a few days later in the final game of the final day.
Responding to the Scottish FA’s penalty, which is a three-match ban at the time and one suspended for the rest of the season, Rangers said the comments were “directed at the decision, rather than representing any wider criticism of the officials”.
Speaking to Sky Sports after Falkirk’s win at Tynecastle that night, McInnes said: “When you hear that Celtic got a 96th minute penalty that went to VAR and they were reviewing it, you just think what happened is they get a penalty.
“I’ve seen it again, it’s disgusting.
“I don’t think it’s a penalty.
“But we’re against it. We’re against everybody.”
McInnes is expected to be on the pitch as Rangers will open the Scottish Premiership title against Dundee United on July 31.
The same conditions apply for the next league game at home to Hibernian and the League Cup tie on the weekend of 15/16 August.
The ban does not include the Europa League qualifier against Polish club Jagiellonia Bialystok.
Rangers added that “McInnes’ concerns are widely shared by other commentators across the UK” and said “similar language has been used in Scottish football by others with little or no disciplinary action.”
Following the late drama at Fir Park, referee John Beaton’s contact details were put online, with police monitoring his home. The teenager was then charged “in connection with the crime of data protection”.
The SFA’s head of referees Willie Collum backed the call, citing “clear evidence” of Sam Nicholson’s hand and arm being in an “unnatural position” and the resulting contact “a punishable handball”.
A statement from Rangers concluded: “Respect for officials and due diligence are not competing principles.
“Managers, players and clubs must be able to speak honestly about major decisions if Scottish football is to raise the standard and maintain trust.
“Scrutiny, transparency and accountability should be seen as part of improving standards, not as a threat to them.”
Motherwell and their former midfielder Elliott Watt have already been sentenced for posting on social media about the issue.
Watt, who has joined Turkish club Samsunspor, received a four-match ban, which he described as “the worst VAR decision in history”.
Motherwell was fined £5,000 for releasing a video with the caption: “With the football world making fun of our game, we have to draw a line in the sand and move our focus away.”
The Scottish FA’s compliance officer issued complaints to all three parties under disciplinary rule 72 which states: “No recognized football body, club, official, team official or other member of team staff, player or other person under the authority of the SFA, in any discussion, on an internet ‘blog’, social media or micro-blogging, or in any other way criticize or criticize publicly the performance of any or all managers of the game in a way that shows the bias or incompetence of that game manager;
