{"id":358271,"date":"2011-04-01T17:14:21","date_gmt":"2011-04-01T17:14:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/2011\/04\/01\/lennon-set-for-early-return\/"},"modified":"2011-04-01T17:14:21","modified_gmt":"2011-04-01T17:14:21","slug":"lennon-set-for-early-return","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/04\/01\/lennon-set-for-early-return\/","title":{"rendered":"Lennon set for early return"},"content":{"rendered":"
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20110401<\/p>\n

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Celtic manager sees ban reduced due to technicality<\/h3>\n

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\t\t\t\"Lennon<\/p>\n

Lennon: Ban reduced<\/p>\n

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Neil Lennon’s touchline ban has been effectively cut after the Scottish Football Association admitted his suspension could not be enforced.\n<\/p>\n

Lennon was hit with a four-match ban last month after squaring up to Rangers assistant manager Ally McCoist after their Scottish Cup replay at Parkhead.<\/p>\n

However, Lennon has already started serving a four-match suspension for a separate incident, relating to an altercation with an official in November.<\/p>\n

The SFA believed Lennon’s two bans would run consecutively, but Celtic have now successfully argued that they run concurrently.<\/p>\n

Having been told his interpretation of the rules is ‘legally unenforceable’, SFA chief executive Stewart Regan has proposed a complete rewrite of the body’s disciplinary rules.<\/p>\n

Regan said: “We have discussed the matter with Celtic Football Club and they accept that Neil Lennon was guilty of misconduct.<\/p>\n

“However, with regard to the timing of the suspension we must accept that if our rules cannot be enforced in a court of law then they cannot be imposed and it is foolish to waste money defending such a point.<\/p>\n

Legal playground<\/h4>\n

“We acknowledge that our rules do need updating and I have proposed to our board that we commission a complete re-write of the disciplinary procedures from a legal perspective to address this whole matter.<\/p>\n

“Whilst we have an obligation to ensure that our rules can be legally enforced, nevertheless it is important for the future of Scottish football that we do not allow our disciplinary procedures to be used as a costly legal playground.<\/p>\n

“We must ensure we can reach a happy balance where every decision is not subject to an appeal and football can self-govern without constant legal interventions.”<\/p>\n

Lennon will now sit out a total of five matches over the course of his two punishments, returning to the dugout for Celtic’s SPL clash with St Mirren on 9th April.<\/p>\n

The Celtic response read: “We note the lengthy statement issued by the SFA in connection with the very straightforward issue of Neil Lennon’s suspension running consecutively or concurrently.<\/p>\n

“We are pleased that the SFA has recognised that Celtic’s position is absolutely correct.<\/p>\n

“It should not have been necessary for Celtic Football Club to involve our lawyers in this simple matter, and we would have much preferred not to have had to do so.<\/p>\n

“But it is vital that the SFA properly applies the rules that it imposes, whatever those happen to be. The SFA cannot operate above the law or its own rules.”<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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