Rangers manager Derek McInnes has received a three-match domestic touchline ban following critical comments regarding the penalty awarded to Celtic against Motherwell.

McInnes used the word “disgusting” to describe referee John Beaton’s decision to penalise Sam Nicholson for a handball, a call made following advice from video assistant Andrew Dallas during the closing stages of Celtic’s 3-2 victory.

A fourth match suspension has also been handed down. However, this will remain suspended and only activated if McInnes breaches the same disciplinary rule again before the conclusion of the new season.

As a result, the 55-year-old will watch from the stands for Rangers’ season opener away at Dundee United, the Premiership fixture against Hibernian at Ibrox, and their League Cup second-round tie on the weekend of August 15/16.

At the time of the incident, McInnes’ former club, Hearts, were locked in a tense Scottish Premiership title race with Celtic, which was ultimately decided on the final day of the campaign at their rivals’ home ground.

The sanction comes just a week after former Motherwell player Elliot Watt was issued a four-match ban by the Scottish FA. Watt had taken to social media to label the same penalty decision the “worst VAR decision in history.”

Motherwell were also hit with a £5,000 fine over a post published on their official social media channels following the match.

Both McInnes and Watt were charged with breaching disciplinary rule 72, which strictly forbids any public criticism of match officials that implies “bias or incompetence” or calls their character into question.