Rangers administration: Craig Whyte absent as SFA hearing kicks off

THE three-day hearing against Rangers and Craig Whyte began at Hampden yesterday despite the club owner’s failure to attend. A total of nine charges – two against Whyte and seven against Rangers – are being considered by a three-man SFA Judicial Panel.

Whyte, who is currently in Monte Carlo, had already declared his intention to play “absolutely no part” in the hearing despite being requested to make a personal appearance by SFA Compliance Officer Vincent Lunny.

Rangers were represented yesterday by the club’s head of football administration, Andrew Dickson, along with their lawyers Biggart Baillie and Simon Shipley of club administrators Duff & Phelps.

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Five of the seven alleged rule breaches by Rangers relate to the period from 6 May last year, when Whyte completed his takeover of the club, to 6 March this year when Lord William Nimmo Smith concluded his Independent Inquiry into the controversial venture capitalist’s stewardship at Ibrox.

It found that Whyte was not a “fit and proper person” to hold a position within football.

There are two separate charges against Whyte, of bringing the game into disrepute and of failing to act in the best interests of football at all times.

Rangers face two additional charges relating to their failure to pay Dundee United and the SFA their share of gate receipts from the Scottish Cup tie at Ibrox in February.

The SFA will make no announcement on the hearing until its conclusion. It continues today, takes an adjournment tomorrow and is scheduled to finish on Friday.

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