SFA to delay ruling over web attack on referees

HEARTS owner Vladimir Romanov looks as if he will have to wait to find out whether he will be punished by the SFA for comments made last month on the club website.

The SFA's general purposes committee will meet this morning to discuss criticisms voiced by the Lithuanian-based businessman on the Gorgie club's official website in the wake of the 1-0 defeat to SPL newcomers St Mirren.

With Romanov unable to attend the meeting in person, however, any punishment the Russian could receive is likely to be deferred until the committee's next meeting.

But Hearts could yet find themselves in trouble, as the fact that the outburst appeared on the club's website will be considered separately by Hampden officials.

A spokesman for the general purposes committee explained: "Comments made by Vladimir Romanov will be put before the committee and possibly deferred to the next meeting. The problem is that there are two issues. One, the comments appearing on the club's website and, two, that the comments were made by Mr Romanov."

The Lithuanian-based businessman has become increasingly outspoken in recent times, with the SFA, referees, the Old Firm and the nation's media the regular targets of his wrath.

The comments which will come under scrutiny on this occasion are those suggesting Scottish referees - and journalists - had tried to scupper Hearts' Scottish Cup campaign.

He said: "You can't humiliate me. Fans see my fight with those puppets who pretend to support the Glasgow teams, but who are in fact just thinking about money which they're getting from fans buying their papers.

"Last season, you didn't manage to protect the Scottish Cup and gave it to Hearts, despite all the referees' efforts and intrigues."

In the same rant, Romanov outraged UEFA when he accused Russian referee Yuri Baskakov - the official who sent off Julien Brellier and Neil McCann during the Champions League defeat to AEK Athens - of corruption.

The SFA moved in the summer to close a loophole in their regulations which previously allowed Romanov, who does not hold any official position at Tynecastle, to go unpunished for his frequent outbursts.

The change allowed the governing body to bring "shadow directors" under their jurisdiction as well as named directors and other employees of member clubs and could now see Romanov suffer as a result.

Taken from the Scotsman