Rangers and Celtic cited after Ibrox unrest described as 'near miss'
Rangers and Celtic face disciplinary charges over the unrest that followed their Scottish Cup meeting at Ibrox in March. An independent review is critical of ultras groups and scathing on planning inadequacies.
The disorder occurred after the March fixture at Ibrox which has since prompted formal action against both clubs. Authorities commissioned an independent review into the events, and its findings highlighted significant concerns about the conduct of ultras groups and weaknesses in event planning. As a result of the report and the incidents that followed the match, disciplinary citations have been issued to both Rangers and Celtic.
The disciplinary measures name each club in relation to the post-match disturbances, although specific sanctions and timetables for any hearings have not been detailed in the material provided. The focus of the citations is the unrest that followed the Scottish Cup tie at Ibrox in March, tying the clubs to the same episode scrutinised by the review. Those charged will be required to respond to the allegations as the process moves forward.
The independent review singled out organised supporter factions and criticised how the fixture was managed, using language that describes the groups as problematic and the planning as inadequate. Its conclusions were scathing on planning inadequacies and raised questions about the adequacy of controls in place for the event. The report’s findings have been cited alongside the decision to issue disciplinary charges.
Both clubs now face the formal procedures that accompany citations of this kind, with the matter originating in the disturbances after the March Scottish Cup meeting at Ibrox. The combination of the review’s criticism of ultras groups and its scathing assessment of planning has been central to the public account of what went wrong. Further official details about the disciplinary process, responses from the clubs or any potential penalties were not included in the information released.
