Una ley de 1592 puede llevar a tres grandes clubes escoceses, Rangers, Hibernian y Dundee United a ser denunciados por la Court of the Lord Lyon, una antigua autoridad nacional instituida por un acta parlamentaria escocesa de más de 400 años. Esta Corte, tiene poderes para perseguir el uso de símbolos y emblemas históricos sin autorización, tales como leones rampantes, castillos, símbolos nobiliarios, etc.
El pasado año, la Court of the Lord Lyon ya denunció al Airdionians FC, al cual obligó a cambiar su escudo para evitar una gran multa y acciones legales (LINK). Parece que ahora ha puesto el punto de mira en otros equipos del fútbol escocés y quiere emprender nuevas acciones legales. Supporters Direct Scotland ha puesto ya su maquinaria en marcha y ha recogido más de 1.500 firmas con una petición online para pedir una revisión de la ley, pero no ha sido tomada en consideración por parte de esta antigua institución.
El próximo parece que será el Ayr United, cuyo escudo viola las antiguas reglas de la Court of the Lord Lyon (LINK), es posible que no solo sean pequeños equipos, que llevan símbolos históricos en sus escudos, los que se vean afectados, sino que esto afecta también a varios clubes ilustres, como se ha avanzado ya, el Rangers FC y el Dundee United FC están en riesgo por el león rampante, el Hibernian FC por el símbolo del castillo y según el dailyrecord.co.uk también clubes como Dundee, Hamilton Accies, St Johstone y East Fife.
We’ve just released a statement expressing our concern at crest rulings https://t.co/rYp0MMnoFW pic.twitter.com/SAYkkpyIxk
— Scottish Fans (@ScottishFans) 15 de abril de 2016
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A continuación el comunicado de Supporters Direct Scotland que basa su defensa señalando el anacronismo de la ley de la Court of the Lord Lyon que pone en peligro a numerosos clubes e invita a las autoridades a intervenir para resolver este problema sin destruir la historia de los clubes escoceses.
Supporters Direct Scotland today (Friday 15 April 2016) expressed real concern that a significant number of SPFL football clubs could be forced to change their club crest.
This follows a ruling that the Court of Lord Lyon will not re-consider its approach to the prosecution of so-called illegal badges, after Airdrieonians were forced to launch a new crest in 2015 after an action was raised against them.
Ayr United will also now change their crest for season 2017-18, after agreement was reached on a short term dispensation.
It is a ruling which could result in a significant number of historically famous badges be consigned to history.
A Scottish Parliament Act passed in 1592 gives the Court of the Lord Lyon responsibility for prosecuting unauthorised elements in badges. The court has its own procurator fiscal.
Matters are complicated because although this responsibility is laid down in law by ancient Scottish legislation, it is currently reserved to the UK Government.
Elements such as crowns, a lion rampant, plain English bricks (“castellation”) which look like a turret above a shield, the saltire, a town’s coat of arms or use any letters are all forbidden.
Those who could face future issues include Dundee, Dundee United, East Fife, Hamilton Accies, Rangers, and St Johnstone.
Supporters Direct Scotland ran a petition last season, which gained 1,500 supporters, but this latest situation is sure to cause concern to fans.
Andrew Jenkin, head of Supporters Direct Scotland comments:
“This is a real worry to us. Not only were Airdrieonians forced to change their crest, but the same will now happen with Ayr United.
“We’re at a floodgates point, at which this could easily spiral out of control, and some of the best known and easily identifiable symbols of football in Scotland could be lost forever, because of an archaic rule which serves to protect nobody.
“Our clubs deliver thousands of hours of community support across the country each year, our league is one of the best attended per head of population in Europe, and Scotland supporters are regarded across the world as fans, as well as significantly supporting charities in the countries they visit. We’ve seen time after time that Scottish football can be a real force for good.
“We recognise that this is a complicated issue, and strictly speaking is not devolved to the Scottish Government, but we hope after the election this is a matter that a future administration will take extremely seriously and support our efforts to find a resolution.
“This may include assessing the viability of introducing legislation to protect the identity of clubs & their assets such as crests, colours, stadiums and that they are really important to community identity.”( http://www.scottishfans.org/)
