McInnes given four-match ban for 'disgusting' Celtic penalty remark

What the report says

BBC Sport Football reports that Rangers manager Derek McInnes has been handed a four-match touchline suspension by the Scottish FA, with the final game suspended, over remarks he made last season while managing Hearts. McInnes described as “disgusting” the decision to award Celtic a late penalty against Motherwell at Fir Park, a spot-kick converted by Kelechi Iheanacho in stoppage time.

The penalty helped Celtic win 2-1 and remain one point behind Hearts before Celtic later beat them in a final-day title decider. McInnes made the comments in a Sky Sports interview after Hearts defeated Falkirk, questioning the handball call and suggesting his team was “up against everybody.” The suspension means he is set to watch Rangers’ first three domestic matches of the season from the stands: the Scottish Premiership opener away to Dundee United on 31 July, the home league match against Hibernian, and a League Cup tie on the weekend of 15/16 August. The ban does not apply to Rangers’ Europa League qualifier against Jagiellonia Białystok.

BBC Sport notes that SFA referees chief Willie Collum supported the original penalty decision, saying there was clear evidence of punishable handball. The incident also led to wider disciplinary fallout: Motherwell were fined £5,000 for a social media video caption, and former Motherwell midfielder Elliott Watt received a four-match suspension over his own post about the VAR decision.

The SFA complaint cited rule 72, which restricts public criticism implying bias, incompetence or character issues involving match officials. McInnes’ suspended match will be activated if he breaches the same rule again before the end of the 2026-27 season.