Letters: SFA to blame for the shocking and shameful state of Scottish football

THE Scottish Football Association has brought the game in this country into disrepute with its breathtaking, baffling decision not to ban or punish the Rangers players or assistant manager after the Old Firm "shame game".

Paul McBride asked a very pertinent question: What would be the reaction if a Celtic player in the St Johnstone match (the other night) manhandled a referee or refused to take police advice after being given a red and threw his shirt into the crowd? The St Johnstone match, remember, not an Old Firm cauldron, with all the potential violence and crowd trouble that entails. I do not think we need to look far for the answer.

Exactly the same applies to Hibs and Hearts. If any of their players had done what Bougherra did they would have had the book thrown at them without any doubt whatsoever.

So I believe Mr McBride to be quite correct in replying 'yes' when asked if there was a set of rules and laws for Rangers and another for everyone else. It is a shocking, shameful indictment of the state of Scottish football today. .

ALEXANDER McKAY

New Cut Rigg

EDINBURGH

Murray should point finger at governing bodies

JUDY Murray's "sport and physical activity" handbagging may have been aimed directly at the country's politicians (Letters, 13 April). To optimise shots on target she might also have directed a salvo towards officials in both local and national government, as well as a number of Scottish governing bodies of sport and national agencies responsible for sport and physical activity. The reality is that in Scotland, responsibility for a comprehensive continuum of opportunities to engage meaningfully or regularly in sport and physical activity falls across several integrated, overlapping organisations and segments of society, including the voluntary and private sectors.

As Mrs Murray states, there are strong arguments suggesting social and health benefits may be gained by individuals adopting a physically active and sporting lifestyle - even more if this is aggregated throughout the population, across all age groups and social classes.

Given the many overlapping components, it is essential that proposals to revitalise the Scottish sporting landscape fit the parameters of a clear, credible and comprehensive national strategy and operational delivery plan. The previous Labour / LibDem executive attempted to pull together an all-singing, all-dancing national sport strategy (including physical activity) entitled Reaching Higher - Building on the Success of Sport21.

This document was published in March 2007 shortly before the SNP government took office. Unfortunately, the title itself immediately highlights a serious and fundamental shortcoming. With its raft of missed goals and participation targets, the previous sport strategy, Sport21, could hardly be described as "successful".

Equally, Reaching Higher loses focus by mixing together the not dissimilar yet essentially different topics of physical activity and sport into the same strategic cocktail. Moreover, apart from stipulating a minimum of two hours PE per week in schools and 60 per cent of adults engaging in sport at least once per week by 2020, Reaching Higher contains no precisely meaningful, measurable or quantifiable targets or timescales for investment, participation and performance going forward.

Amongst all the competing priorities in these fiscally troubled times, Scotland has been crying out for a proper sport strategy.

Judy Murray was right to raise the issues in her own way; now, let's get it together!

RON SUTHERLAND

Millwell Park

INNERLEITHEN

Let us know inside story on McCoist's comments

PAUL McBride, Neil Lennon's lawyer, has accused the SFA of being "biased" and "the laughing stock of world football" (Scotsman, 13 April). His reason for these conclusions is "because McCoist, who undoubtedly said something that provoked a reaction from Neil Lennon that caused a four match ban for him, has received no punishment at all".

If he believes Ally McCoist should have been punished for provoking his client, why not share with us what Ally McCoist was alleged to have said? Surely the truth can't hurt. Can it?

LAWRENCE FRASER

Mayne Road

ELGIN

Hearts fans not involved in sectarian bigotry

HAVING read Alexander McKay's letter two weeks ago, I think the issue, or in my opinion, non-issue of sectarian singing by Hearts fans should be put into perspective. Mr McKay is, like others, jumping on the bandwagon, led largely by people who have no knowledge or no interest in the history of the Edinburgh derby and are clearly intent on mischief-making.

This fixture has not been tainted by religious bigotry but is fierce in rivalry, as derby matches should be. He also fails to report that he did not hear these religious bigots singing The Sash or Derry's Walls, songs that are booed at Tynecastle. Hardly the actions of bigots. He should listen more carefully rather than make assumptions based on the first two words of the song.

Every club has a section of its support that will have chants that are clearly designed to wind up or offend their rivals. Mr McKay claims to have no axe to grind but I recall in a previous letter he accused Rangers of provocation when they invited Falklands veteran Simon Weston to attend an Old Firm game. Quite astonishing. If he wants to launch a campaign against offensive singing at football grounds, I suggest he purchases a ticket for the Roseburn Stand at Tynecastle when Celtic are the visitors.

R SUTHERLAND

Corstorphine Hill Road

EDINBURGH