Hearts charged over wage dispute

Hearts have been charged with "failing to behave with the utmost good faith" over the delayed payment of player wages, the Scottish Premier League have announced.

Disciplinary proceedings and the prospect of unlimited sanctions have been opened by the SPL, who determined January's wages, due on Monday, did not arrive on time. Hearts refute the claim.

Following a meeting of the SPL's board of directors, a statement was issued, charging the Edinburgh club, with a hearing to be scheduled in due course.

The SPL statement read: "The Scottish Premier League Board met this evening to consider the alleged failure by Heart of Midlothian FC to comply with the terms of the order made by the SPL on January 4, 2012 that the club pay the January wages due to the relevant players on the due date of January 16, 2012.

"As a result, Heart of Midlothian FC are being charged under SPL Rule A3.1 with failing to behave with the utmost good faith to the SPL.

"A hearing date will be notified to the club in due course."

A statement on the club's official website, www.heartsfc.co.uk, read: "The club totally refutes the suggestion made in today's statement from the SPL that it failed to comply with this order.

"The club has made payment of the remuneration to each of the players on January 16, 2012 and has documentary evidence to this effect."

Key to whether Hearts will be punished will be the technicalities of any breach - whether payment had to be made, or received, by midnight on 16 January, for example.

Hearts contend salaries were processed from Lithuanian bank UBIG, controlled by Hearts owner Vladimir Romanov, yesterday afternoon.

But if they fail to provide the evidence, sanctions could be imposed, including the prospect of a large fine, docked points or a transfer embargo - all of which would have untold consequences on the future of the 138-year-old club.

Hearts are sure to contest any punishment which might result from the forthcoming hearing, with the Scottish Football Association likely to be required to hear an appeal.

The present situation is a consequence of delayed wages in October and November.

A further delay in December prompted 14 members of Hearts' first-team squad to submit a complaint to the SPL via players' union PFA Scotland.

Their December pay, which had been due on 16 December, was received on January 4, the day the SPL sub-committee adjudicated over the dispute between the players and Hearts, ordering the club to comply to a number of demands - including timely delivery of January's salaries.