sport

Date set for Rangers appeal

An appeal against Rangers' 12-month transfer embargo and £160,000 fine will be heard next Wednesday, the SFA have confirmed.

Administration-hit Rangers were hit by the embargo by an SFA judicial panel last month after being found guilty of five charges in relation to their financial affairs and appointment of Craig Whyte as chairman.

The appeal panel will be chaired by Lord Carloway with Craig Graham and Allan Cowan also sitting on the hearing.

Lord Carloway has been a judge since 2000 and recently wrote a Government-commissioned report into criminal law and practice.

Cowan stepped down as Partick Thistle chairman in 2010 after 13 years on the Firhill board while Graham is chairman of East of Scotland League side Spartans and a partner at KPMG, which provides tax and auditing services.

The three members of the original judicial panel which handed out the punishment and SFA officials received security advice from police following reports of threats.

An SFA statement read: "In light of the subsequent leaking of the identities of the three panel members from the original tribunal, and given the exceptional circumstances of the appeal, it has been agreed that we will identify the members of the appellate tribunal in advance of the hearing.

"This decision has been taken with the approval of the individuals involved and after consultation with the relevant police authorities.

"It is essential that these panel members are allowed to conduct the appeal without fear of intimidation and we respectfully ask all involved in the process to do their utmost to observe our wishes and the wishes of the panel members."