Celtic lose Hyun-jun Yang red card appeal as SFA panel throw out two claims of wrongful dismissal

Korean winger learns suspension fate as Kilmarnock appeal also dismissed

Celtic's Yang Hyun-jun fouls Hearts' Alex Cochrane with a high foot which led to a red card following a VAR check. (Photo by Paul Byars / SNS Group)

Celtic say they have been left “surprised and extremely disappointed” after losing their appeal against the red card shown to winger Hyun-jun Yang during the 2-0 defeat to Hearts on Sunday.

Yang was dismissed by referee Don Robertson in the 17th minute of the Scottish Premiership match at Tynecastle Park after raising a high boot which appeared to catch Hearts defender Alex Cochrane in the face. The Korean was initially shown a yellow card which was upgraded to a red card following a VAR review requested by video assistant John Beaton.

The decision angered Celtic, who missed the chance to overtake Rangers at the top of the table, with the club writing to the Scottish FA to "raise serious concerns regarding the use of VAR and the decisions made within the match.” Hearts were also awarded a controversial penalty for a handball offence given against Celtic’s Tomoki Iwata following a VAR review which allowed Jorge Grant to net the opener from the spot.

Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers accused the match officials of “incompetence” and claimed Beaton’s VAR intervention on the red card was “incredible”.

However, at an SFA fast track tribunal on Tuesday, it was decided that Yang's sending off would stand with the 21-year-old receiving a two-match suspension for serious foul play which rules him out of the Scottish Cup quarter-final against Livingston on Saturday as well as the league encounter with St Johnstone the following weekend.

A Celtic spokesperson said: “We have received notification that the club's claim has been dismissed. Clearly we are surprised and extremely disappointed at this decision.”

As a result of the ban being upheld, Celtic will have to pay a fee of £500 within 30 days. The Celtic manager could also find himself facing SFA disciplinary action as rules forbid criticism of match officials in such a way as to “indicate bias or incompetence”.

Kilmarnock have also lost their appeal against the red card shown to Lewis Mayo for bringing down Dundee forward Scott Tiffoney in the 2-2 draw at Dens Park on Saturday. The offence – denying an opponent a goal scoring opportunity – carries a one-match ban which will be served in the next league game against St Mirren with Mayo available for the Scottish Cup trip to Aberdeen on Saturday.