Highlights – Sone Aluko penalty incident
Rangers have failed to successfully challenge a two-match suspension handed to Sone Aluko by the Scottish Football Association for simulation.
An SFA fast-track tribunal decided that Aluko had dived to win a penalty in Rangers’ 2-1 win against Dunfermline at Ibrox on Saturday.
Rangers contested that there had been sufficient contact with the winger.
Aluko will now miss Rangers’ next two league matches away to Hibernian and at home to Inverness.
Rangers manager Ally McCoist insisted that the Nigerian midfielder was adamant he had been fouled when Dunfermline’s Martin Hardie challenged him inside the box in the 28th minute.
Referee Steve Conroy pointed to the penalty spot, with the home side already leading 1-0.
Nikica Jelavic netted the subsequent spot-kick, but Joe Cardle pulled one back for Dunfermline to set up a tense second half.
Following the match, Dunfermline boss Jim McIntyre was critical of referee Conroy during his post-match interview and is also in trouble with the SFA, with a hearing set for 22 December to examine his remarks.
“For the second goal, the ref has had a nightmare,” said McIntyre.
“I’ve just watched it on video and it was never a penalty. It was a really, really poor decision.”
Aluko later replied: “I felt there was contact and then I fell over.
“I’m not one who normally dives. I thought it was a penalty and obviously the ref did as well.”
The same punishment was given to Hibernian striker Garry O’Connor in October, after he was accused of having dived to win a penalty during his team’s 3-2 win over St Johnstone, with Conroy the referee on that occasion also.
O’Connor chose to contest the decision, which was referred to a fast-track tribunal, who upheld the referee’s original decision.