A MUSSELBURGH rugby referee has been banned for submitting a false match report, and giving a false testimony at a disciplinary hearing earlier this season.

Gordon Galashan, an ex-player with the county club before turning to officiating, was given an eight-week ban for providing a false testimony at a hearing in November last year.

The 29-year-old took charge of a match between Watsonians 2nd XV and their Heriot's counterparts on November 14, and sent off Andrew Joseph, a Watsonians player, after he alleged Joseph had sworn at him after being issued a yellow card.

It was included within Galashan's report for the match that he believed the player had sworn at him.

The disciplinary hearing against the sent-off player was thrown out – he was facing a lengthy ban under new Scottish Rugby guidelines about abuse of match officials.

A memorandum on the abuse of match officials said the abuse of match officials was "wholly unacceptable within our game".

Scottish Rugby then started disciplinary proceedings against Galashan and his performance reviewer on the day, Alastair Cummings.

And the Musselburgh referee was handed an eight-week sanction for submitting a false report and giving a false testimony at a disciplinary committee.

Cummings, meanwhile was handed a 52-week ban for giving a false testimony at the disciplinary.

A spokesperson from Scottish Rugby said: “Scottish Rugby had an obligation to bring forward misconduct charges against the individuals concerned and to ask the independent disciplinary committee to consider the matter.

“Given the seriousness of the offence, Scottish Rugby is satisfied with the length of bans imposed by the disciplinary committee and the message this sends out to the game.”

Cummings was initially banned for 60 weeks, which was reduced on appeal, but there was no appeal from Galashan, whose legal team declined to comment when contacted by the Courier.