Rangers chief executive Charles Green and manager Ally McCoist have been charged with bringing the game into disrepute by the Scottish FA.
Mr Green was served with the notice of complaint on Friday in relation to claims he made that the rejection of newco Rangers' application to join the Scottish Premier League was partly down to "bigotry".
McCoist has also been charged with bringing the game into disrepute by demanding to know the names of the independent judicial panel that decided on the punishment Rangers should receive for failing to pay tax during Craig Whyte’s nine-month reign earlier this year.
Following his comments, members of the panel received advice from police over their safety after being targeted for their role in the decision. Rangers were represented throughout the process and club officials were present at hearings in front of the anonymous panel.
On Friday, the Scottish FA's compliance officer Vincent Lunny also accused Mr Green of failing to act in the best interests of the game by making the comments on Sunday, July 29, following Rangers’ tie against Brechin in the Ramsdens Cup.
McCoist faces a subsequent charge of not acting in the best interests of the game through his demands over the names of the independent panel, which he initially made in an interview with the club’s official media channel, Rangers TV, and repeated in other media in April.
The manager is accused of questioning the independence of the process after Rangers were hit with a 12-month player signing ban and a £160,000 for a variety of rule breaches, including bringing the game into disrepute.
Both Mr Green and McCoist are scheduled for Scottish FA hearings in relation to the allegations on August 30, while they have until August 17 to respond to the notice of complaint.
Rangers chairman Malcolm Murray responded to the the charges. He said: "We are disappointed by the decision to convene disciplinary proceedings. The club has already provided the SFA with what it regards as a clear and compelling explanation of Mr Green's remarks.
"We will defend both Ally McCoist and Charles Green vigorously at the respective hearings. In keeping with the principles of free speech we will defend the right for people to express their opinions in good faith."
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