SPFL Charges Celtic, Rangers, and Motherwell Following Pyrotechnic Incidents

The Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) has brought charges against Celtic, Motherwell, and Rangers concerning the deployment of pyrotechnics. This action follows incidents where fans of Motherwell and Rangers ignited pyrotechnics at Hampden, leading to a delay in the start of a match. Brendan Rodgers commented, stating, “it’s right they look into it.” These clubs could incur financial penalties due to the widespread use of flares by their supporters, described as “irresponsible” and “unacceptable,” during the Premier Sports Cup semi-finals held at Hampden last month. An independent panel will convene a hearing early next year, where all three clubs are scheduled to appear. A specific legislative measure prohibiting the use of pyrotechnics within Scottish stadiums was enacted in 2023. The fixture between Celtic and Aberdeen experienced a 14-minute postponement after fireworks and flares were discharged. Rodgers emphasized, “Safety is of paramount importance, for firstly the people in the stands.” He continued, “I always worry for the people in that area when they are going off. When you’re young sometimes you don’t see the dangers but that’s a concern for me, especially our own supporters.” Rodgers further expressed, “My concern is then also for the players. When you’re preparing for a game, it’s detailed to the second so you’re ready to go. We had a 14-minute delay in that semi-final. That can be the cause of someone getting injured, particularly this time of year. You’re standing about waiting, the body is cold again and muscles are at risk.” He concluded his remarks by stating, “These are the little things you would never think about when you’re holding the flare. I don’t see what it adds to the game. It’s right they look into it and try to stop it, hopefully.” The subsequent day’s fixture, featuring Rangers against Motherwell, also experienced a five-minute delay due to pyrotechnics being deployed by supporters from both teams. Rangers manager Philippe Clement commented, stating: “It’s not safe. It costs the club money. We want to use that money in a better way that we can do the right things with the squad, that the squad becomes better and the fans can be happy with the squad.” He added, “It doesn’t help in any sense towards the team.” The SPFL acknowledged that while “it was fantastic to have over 80,000 supporters attend” the League Cup semi-finals, it also declared that “the large-scale, organised and illegal pyrotechnics displays which were carried out by a small minority of supporters before the Celtic v Aberdeen and Motherwell v Rangers matches were totally unacceptable.” In a statement, the governing body asserted: “This irresponsible behaviour caused significant inconvenience to thousands of fans at the game and to supporters watching worldwide.” It further stated: “The SPFL, Scottish FA, Police Scotland and other organisations have been clear that such use of pyrotechnics is illegal and poses clear dangers and health and safety risks to fellow supporters, players and those working at matches.” The statement also noted: “There have been a number of complaints from supporters about these incidents and the SPFL and Scottish FA have been in ongoing discussions with the clubs involved in the weeks since the semi-finals.” Celtic and Rangers are scheduled to compete in the League Cup final at the national stadium on 15 December, an event anticipated to draw a capacity crowd. The SPFL additionally stated: “The SPFL and Scottish FA will continue to work closely with the finalists in the build up to this showpiece occasion to reinforce the importance of ensuring a safe and enjoyable match day experience for all supporters, in the context of what is now an ongoing disciplinary process.” According to league regulations, each club is required, “so far as is reasonably practicable,” to ensure that its supporters refrain from “unacceptable conduct,” to identify any fans who engage in such behavior during a match, and to implement “proportionate disciplinary measures” against those supporters.