SPFL under investigation as Rangers cinch sponsorship row referred to SFA compliance officer

The SPFL is under investigation by the Scottish FA over claims they breached rules in their sponsorship dispute with Rangers.

Rangers have refused to display cinch branding at Ibrox this season. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)

Car dealer cinch struck a record deal to become the SPFL' s main sponsor in the summer but Ibrox chiefs have refused to advertise the company's logo on the players' strips or around the stadium, insisting that it is in conflict with the club’s existing partnership with the Park’s of Hamilton Group, owned by Rangers chairman Douglas Park.

Park’s of Hamilton say the SPFL have "failed to behave with the utmost good faith" and accused them of contravening SFA policy by attempting to block their participation in arbitration proceedings involving Rangers, the SPFL and cinch in the Court of Session.

Now, as reported by The Herald, the matter has been referred to SFA compliance officer Andrew Phillips.

Park’s already obtained an interim interdict against the SFA in October that prevented the arbitration process from going ahead and they are prepared to take legal action against the SPFL.

A statement from Park's of Hamilton reads: “We can confirm discussions between the legal representatives of Park’s of Hamilton and the SFA have been referred to the Compliance Officer, in line with Article 94, by the SFA's legal advisers.

“We continue to believe that the SPFL's recent attempts in the Court of Session to block our participation in the ongoing arbitration proceedings breach the Scottish FA's Article 99.12.

“In addition to this, we believe that the SPFL have failed to behave with the utmost good faith in this matter and did not take every possible step to resolve the dispute prior to referring the matter to arbitration - as they are required to do in terms of article 99.14.

“Whilst we are not members of the SPFL or the SFA, we were forced to commence court proceedings to protect our commercial position due to the conduct of the SPFL.

“It is imperative that the SFA, as the governing body, applies all Articles to members in order to protect the integrity of its disciplinary processes.

“The SPFL continue to engage in behaviour which we believe seeks to induce a breach of a contract to which we are a party. We are prepared to pursue a claim against the SPFL regarding this ongoing conduct.”

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