SFA postpones hearings into football betting allegations
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A SCOTTISH FA hearing investigating gambling allegations levelled at a Strathspey Thistle footballer and his ex-team-mates at Elgin City has been postponed
Jags centre-half Ashley Ballam was given a notice of complaint last month from the Scottish Football Association over an allegation of gambling on football games.
He is one of 14 players in total who have been handed citations relating to alleged offences to have taken place between July 2011 and June 2019.
It is claimed that Ballam placed bets on various occasions between February 2, 2019 and May 26, 2020.
His hearing had been set for tomorrow but has now been postponed by the SFA.
The allegation relates to a period before Ballam signed for the Grantown-based Highland League side.
The Elgin City club was rocked last month when current players Tom McHale, Darryl McHardy, Matthew Cooper, Conor O'Keefe, Aiden Sopel and Rabin Omar were charged.
Former Borough Briggs club players James McGowan and Shane Sutherland are also facing allegations that they breached gambling laws for the game.
The hearing was due to take place for eight of the players tomorrow, with Omar's case being heard on February 18 but both dates have now been shelved.
Elgin City chairman Graham Tatters confirmed the postponement of both hearings and said he expects them to be rescheduled in the summer.
It is understood that each case will not be heard until after a current court case involving Elgin City striker Kane Hester – also in relation to gambling allegations – reaches a conclusion.
"The hearings have all been postponed," Tatters said.
"It is associated with another court case that is going on so they don’t want to influence the outcome of that case. So they have cancelled the hearings until after that case is complete."
As a result, it is likely that all the players will be free to play in all matches over the remainder of the current season.
No new dates have been confirmed for the hearing.
The vast majority of the Elgin City connected alleged breaches relate to Rule 31 of the SFA's Disciplinary Rules, which states: "No club official, team official or other member of team staff, player, match official or other person under the jurisdiction of the Scottish FA shall gamble in any way on a football match."
