Arabic version: ماكينيس يدعم استئناف رينجرز ضد إيقافه عن الخط الجانبي

According to BBC News, Rangers manager Derek McInnes has welcomed the club’s decision to appeal a four-match touchline ban imposed after he called Celtic’s late penalty at Motherwell in May “disgusting”. The sanction comprises an immediate three-game ban and one further match suspended until the end of the season.

McInnes made the comments while in charge of Hearts, after Kelechi Iheanacho converted a stoppage-time penalty for handball in Celtic’s 3-2 win at Fir Park on 13 May. The result kept Celtic one point behind Hearts before Celtic beat them to the title in a final-day decider a few days later. Rangers said McInnes’ remarks were directed at the decision rather than a wider criticism of officials.

After Rangers’ friendly win over St Etienne at Ibrox, McInnes said he and the club did not agree with the punishment. He said he had been a manager for 19 years, had never wanted to make matters personal and believed the decision was wrong. McInnes also said broadcasters pay heavily for managers’ reactions and that managers and players should not have to overly check themselves before answering questions.

If the ban is upheld, McInnes would be in the stands for Rangers’ Scottish Premiership opener away to Dundee United on 31 July, the home league match against Hibernian and a League Cup tie on the weekend of 15/16 August. Rangers said concerns about the decision had been widely shared by commentators and argued that respect for officials and legitimate scrutiny should not be treated as competing principles.

Following the Fir Park incident, Scottish FA head of referees Willie Collum backed the penalty decision, citing clear evidence that Sam Nicholson’s hand and arm were in an unnatural position and that the contact was punishable handball. Motherwell and former midfielder Elliott Watt were also sanctioned over social-media posts concerning the decision.