Boruc escapes SFA action

Polish star's action not included in ref's report

Last updated: 29th April 2008

Celtic Poland keeper Artur Boruc

Boruc: No SFA action

Related links

Teams

Players

Also see

Celtic goalkeeper Artur Boruc will not face any action from the Scottish Football Association after celebrating the 3-2 win over Rangers on Sunday by revealing a T-shirt bearing the slogan 'God bless the Pope'.

An SFA spokesman confirmed that referee Craig Thomson did not include any mention of the post-match incident in his report.

The Celtic goalkeeper's choice of garment could still be mentioned in the report from the Scottish Premier League's match delegate Willie McDougall.

Fifa rules state the "competition organiser" should apply sanctions to the player involved in the event of a "political, religious or personal statement" being exposed on an undershirt.

The rules also state the player's club should face action, which could come from world football's governing body or the SPL.

Controversy

The weekend episode was not the first occasion that the Celtic goalkeeper has found himself at the centre of controversy since moving to Glasgow in 2005.

In August 2006 Boruc received a procurator fiscal's caution for breach of the peace after making gestures at Rangers fans at Ibrox in February that year.

Strathclyde Police stressed that the caution issued to Boruc was not for blessing himself in front of the Rangers fans.

Boruc caused a stir at the end of the last Old Firm game of last season when he walked off the pitch waving a Celtic flag.

In March this year the former Legia Warsaw goalkeeper was shown a yellow card by referee Iain Brines for gesturing towards Hibernian fans after Celtic's 2-0 win at Easter Road.

An SPL spokesman has declared the league are still awaiting the delegate report from McDougall, a former SFA security chief.

The spokesman said: "We have not received the match delegate's report and it may not come in for a few days."