INTERNATIONAL football chiefs have been asked to investigate whether or not Douglas Ross has broken strict neutrality rules by using FIFA’s badge on Tory party leaflets.
The statutes of the sport’s governing body says that it does not take a position “in matters of politics and religion.”
However, last month the Scottish Tories, in a bid to raise the profile of their new leader, sent every house in Scotland a “meet Douglas Ross” leaflet.
One page featured a picture of the Moray MP at his second job, working as a professional referee, wearing a shirt emblazoned with the FIFA badge.
The image of Ross – who’s running the line at today’s Scottish Cup semi-final between Celtic and Aberdeen – was also used by the party for their campaign calling on the Scottish Government to create a “fans fighting fund”.
A member of the Scottish Football Supporters Association has now written to FIFA suggesting Ross’s use of the logo questions “the integrity of football”.
The fan – who’s asked not to be named – wrote: “I want FIFA to launch an investigation and deal with this matter as a matter of urgency, given that we are now in an election cycle in our country.
“This leaflet has been distributed by the political party that Mr Ross leads. It has been sent to households throughout Scotland and it clearly shows him using his image as a FIFA official to try and benefit himself and his organisation with this endorsement.”
FIFA did not respond to requests for comment.
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A Scottish Tory spokesperson said: “Douglas will be happy to clarify matters with FIFA and is not aware of any concerns from the association.”
The SNP’s depute leader, Keith Brown, accused Ross of trying to “trade on his football connections to try to curry favour with voters”.
He added: “His political leaflets clearly show him in his linesman gear in what FIFA must regard as a flagrant breach of their rules on political neutrality.
“It’s desperate. Football match officials are unlikely to ever rank top in a league of most loved professions but the Scottish Tories lag so far behind in the polls they’ll try anything – including breaching FIFA rules.”
Ross wouldn’t be the first politician to fall foul of the statutes.
In 1995 referee Kurt Rothlisberger was suspended for three months for giving unauthorised publicity to a political party.
Rothlisberger, who was campaigning for a seat in the Swiss National, was photographed in his official FIFA referee uniform, displaying the logo of his political party next to the FIFA emblem.
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The disciplinary committee said Rothlisberger “had misused his position as a FIFA referee for political ends and thus contravened article 2 of the FIFA Statutes.”
Earlier this year Ross was forced to apologise to some of the last survivors of the Second World War after he snubbed a VJ Day anniversary in his constituency to run the line at a match between Kilmarnock and St Johnstone.
He donated his fee from the game – believed to be around £445 – to Help for Heroes.
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