Rangers manager Derek McInnes has successfully had a touchline suspension reduced following an appeal, with the punishment now standing at two games rather than the original four, with two of those matches suspended.
The ban stems from comments McInnes made during his previous role as Hearts manager last season. Speaking in a television interview in May, he criticised the awarding of a stoppage-time penalty to Celtic in their 3-2 win over Motherwell, calling the decision "disgusting" and stating that his team were "up against everybody." Kelechi Iheanacho converted the spot-kick, awarded for handball, and that Celtic victory left them just a point behind Hearts heading into the final day of the season, though Celtic went on to overhaul Hearts and claim the title three days later.
The original sanction, handed down in July, was a four-match touchline ban with one game suspended. Rangers, McInnes' current club, appealed the decision on his behalf, arguing that his remarks were aimed specifically at the penalty decision itself rather than constituting a wider attack on match officials.
As a result of the reduced punishment, McInnes will be barred from the dugout for two upcoming fixtures — Wednesday's away trip to Falkirk and Saturday's home league match against Motherwell at Ibrox. He is set to return to his usual matchday duties for the rearranged fixture against St Mirren at Ibrox on 9 September, having watched the two prior games from the stands.
Defending his original comments, the 55-year-old was adamant he had not intended to target officials personally. "I've never wanted to make it personal. For me, the decision was wrong," McInnes said.
The Rangers boss also used the opportunity to raise broader points about the pressures placed on managers and players when reacting to contentious decisions in the immediate aftermath of matches. "Broadcasters pay a lot of money to hear managers' reactions. We've got to be careful that we don't have managers and players who have to be really sure of themselves and check themselves before answering a question," he explained.
McInnes further insisted that the controversy surrounding the penalty decision was already a major talking point before he even spoke to the media, suggesting his comments should be viewed within that context. "At no point was I wanting to inflame a situation. The situation was already being discussed before I did my press," he said. "It was quite a big moment in the season and there was a lot of emotion, but I felt as though what I said was controlled."
The penalty award and its aftermath had significant implications for the Scottish title race last season, with Motherwell's defeat to Celtic keeping the champions within touching distance of Hearts before the dramatic conclusion to the campaign a few days later.
With the reduced ban now in effect, McInnes will miss the sidelines for two Rangers fixtures before resuming his post in the dugout for the visit of St Mirren next month. The case highlights the ongoing scrutiny managers face over their public comments regarding refereeing decisions, particularly in high-stakes title-deciding periods of the season.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport.