Rangers appeal SFA bans for Covid five, freeing up players to take part in weekend's football action

Rangers have lodged an appeal against the six-match bans dished out to the five players who breached lockdown restrictions in February.

A general view of Rangers' Ibrox stadium

Ibrox quintet Calvin Bassey, Brian Kinnear, Dapo Mebude, Nathan Patterson and Bongani Zungu were caught by police at a gathering as the Light Blue suffered a second instance of players breaching Covid-19 rules.

All five players were hit with six-game bans, with two suspended until the end of the current season, but the Scottish FA has confirmed that Rangers are appealing the verdict.

The club’s decision frees up the five players to be involved this weekend with Mebude clear to play for loan side Queen of the South in their Scottish Cup clash with Hibs on Monday night and Bassey, Kinnear, Patterson, and Zungu available for Rangers’ tie with Cove Rangers

Despite manager Steven Gerrard expressing his disappointment with the players, youngster Patterson and South African internationalist Zungu, who is on loan from French Ligue 2 side Amiens, have both been included in matchday squads since the incident with the right-back impressing in place of the injured James Tavernier.

The breach in February came just three months after George Edmundson and Jordan Jones were hit with seven-game bans by the Scottish FA for breaching restrictions when they held a house party in November.

However, Rangers chiefs felt the two incidents were not comparable and the difference in suspensions meted out suggests that the Association broadly agreed with the club.

No date for the appeal hearing has yet been set.

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