SOCCER:AMID RENEWED soul searching about the state of Scottish football after a dismal showing in Europe, Uefa has raised hopes that Celtic will be handed a reprieve in the Europa League.

Uefa insiders have said that Celtic would be allowed back into the competition if the Swiss side Sion were banned for breaching transfer regulations.

Celtic lost 3-1 at Sion on Thursday, but the Swiss side included five players acquired by the club during a transfer ban imposed by Fifa after breaching rules over the signing of the Egypt goalkeeper Essam El-Hadary three years ago. Sion have since been found by Fifa, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), and the Swiss Supreme Court to have breached the transfer ban but are challenging the decision in a local court.

The Uefa president, Michel Platini, said: “What is happening there are rules that have not been respected. FC Sion has not respected the rules of the transfer ban – they signed players and then played those players.”

Gianni Infantino, the Uefa general secretary, said the case would be dealt with by the organisation’s control and disciplinary body, with a hearing expected on Tuesday. “It is an interpretation question which is complicated – whether a two transfer-window ban means two transfer windows or parts of several transfer windows.”

If Sion are banned and Celtic reinstated, the Scottish champions will be placed in a challenging group with Udinese, Rennes and the 2010 Europa Cup winners, Atletico Madrid.

The Celtic manager, Neil Lennon, said yesterday he would have no problem accepting a place through the back door if his side are reinstated. “We have sent in letters last week and handed one to the delegate,” he said. “There is a hearing on Tuesday and we will know the outcome after that. But if clubs are breaking the rules then every club should break the rules.”

Platini said he was “very disappointed” with the performance of Scottish clubs, after none progressed beyond August in European competition for the first time. “They have such great clubs and it is a shame none of them have qualified but these things are decided on the pitch,” he said. “The Scottish league have to look at this situation very seriously now.”