Inverness defender Josh Meekings is free to play in the Scottish Cup final after winning his appeal against a controversial one-match ban.
The 22-year-old Englishman was offered the suspension by the Scottish Football Association’s compliance officer, Tony McGlennan, after officials failed to see his handball in Sunday’s 3-2 semi-final win over Celtic at Hampden Park.
The highly-publicised incident became even more prominent when the Parkhead club released a statement on Monday revealing they were “seeking an understanding” of the failure to penalise the Caley Thistle defender, who blocked a goal-bound header by Leigh Griffiths with the Hoops leading 1-0.
However, an independent three-person judicial panel tribunal met at the national stadium and dismissed the charge that the defender had denied Celtic an obvious goalscoring opportunity by deliberate handball leaving Meekings available for the May 30 final against Falkirk.
Inverness boss John Hughes had earlier claimed the proposed punishment made him think about whether he “wanted to be part” of Scottish football any more but Meekings was delighted by the outcome.
After leaving Hampden via the underground tunnel he took to Twitter to say: “Once again, would like to thank everybody for the messages and support given over the last few days. Back to business now, cannot wait!!
“I have seen the support from various clubs fans and I’m very thankful. I can look forward to the final now, and get ready for Saturday!”
McGlennan was widely criticised for bringing the case against Meekings and among the critics was Fifa referees’ boss Jim Boyce, who said: “I can’t believe that they’re going to suspend a player for a handball.”
Dundee United striker Nadir Ciftci, twice, and Rangers keeper Steve Simonsen have recently won cases brought by McGlennan and his latest notice of complaint led to Hughes saying it had made him “a little bit embarrassed” for Scottish football before following it up with a dig at the SFA.
“It’s taken the shine off our victory,” he said before the verdict. “So much so that I’m even looking at myself.
“If this is what goes on in Scottish football, I don’t know if I want to be a part of it. I’m serious when I say that.
“I’m really, really disillusioned with it and over the last two days I have just switched off my phone.
“I think the whole of British football knows there is a real injustice here. It’s unprecedented and so many people have something to say on it.
“I’m a little bit embarrassed. I think Scottish football is being dragged through the mud a little bit.
“I think there’s a wee bit more to it than what we are seeing.”