Rangers manager Derek McInnes has been handed a four-game touchline ban, with one game suspended, for comments made about a penalty awarded to Celtic in a match against Motherwell last season. The Scottish FA issued the ban for remarks where McInnes described the late spot-kick as "disgusting."

McInnes, who was in charge of Hearts at the time of the incident, made the comments after Celtic were awarded a stoppage-time penalty for handball during their 3-2 victory at Motherwell on May 13. The penalty, converted by Kelechi Iheanacho, proved decisive in the title race, leaving Celtic one point behind Hearts before a final-day decider.

Speaking to Sky Sports after a win against Falkirk on the same night as the Motherwell match, McInnes stated, "When you heard Celtic got a 96th-minute penalty that was going to VAR and they were checking it, you just assume what's happened is they get the penalty. Having seen it again, it's disgusting. It is. I don't think it's a penalty kick. But we're up against it. We're up against everybody."

The ban means McInnes will be absent from the touchline for Rangers' Scottish Premiership opener away to Dundee United on July 31, their following league game at home to Hibernian, and a League Cup tie on August 15/16. The ban does not extend to Europa League qualifiers.

The incident involving the penalty led to referee John Beaton's contact details being posted online, prompting a police investigation and a teenager being charged with a data protection offense. The Scottish FA's head of referees, Willie Collum, defended the decision, citing "clear evidence" of handball due to the player's arm being in an "unnatural position."

Both Motherwell and their former midfielder Elliott Watt have also faced sanctions related to the incident. Watt, now with Turkish club Samsunspor, received a four-match suspension for describing the VAR decision as "the worst VAR decision in history." Motherwell were fined £5,000 for a social media post that accompanied a video, captioned: "As the world of football mocks our game, we simply have to draw a line in the sand and shift the focus."

The Scottish FA compliance officer lodged complaints against all three parties under disciplinary rule 72, which prohibits criticism of match officials that suggests bias or incompetence, or makes remarks that impinge on their character. The suspended portion of McInnes's ban will be activated if he breaches rule 72 again before the end of the 2026-27 season.