Hibs fight SFA’s bid to give O’Connor diving ban

Hibernian have rejected the offer of a two-match ban for striker Garry O’Connor from the Scottish Football Association following claims he dived to win a penalty against St Johnstone.

Derek McInnes, the St Johnstone manager, was angry with O’Connor after the frontman won and then converted a spot-kick during last Wednesday’s 3-2 win for Hibernian at Easter Road.

The SFA last night said in a statement that Hibs had been given the choice of accepting an immediate suspension for O’Connor, or to go to a tribunal, and they chose the latter option.

The SFA statement said: “In relation to an incident of alleged simulation involving Garry O’Connor in the recent match between Hibernian FC and St Johnstone FC, Hibernian were issued with a complaint from the compliance officer offering a standard two-match suspension.

“The club have chosen to refer the matter to a fast track tribunal, which will be convened on Thursday.”

The two-match ban would be a greater punishment than the player would have suffered had he been shown a yellow card during the match itself.

But the new judicial protocol put in place by the SFA this year to bring an end to the lengthy delays which plagued the previous system, states through Rule 202: “No player shall cause a match official to make an incorrect decision and or support an error of judgment on the part of a match official by an act of simulation.”

The offence carries a two-match ban, in line with the suspension imposed by Uefa on Saulius Mikoliunas of Lithuania for diving to win a penalty against Scotland in 2007, and the two-game ban handed to Arsenal striker Eduardo for diving to earn a penalty against Celtic in the Champions League – a verdict that was later annulled on appeal.