SFA vote backs artificial pitches

John Yorkston hopes his pitch will be Fifa II approved

The Scottish Football Association has voted to approve the use of Fifa-approved artificial surfaces.

And it could boost Dunfermline Athletic's hopes of a successful appeal against a ban on such pitches imposed by the Scottish Premier League.

The SFA annual meeting voted 73-7 in favour and Dunfermline will hope their pitch meets the right standard.

Chairman John Yorkston said: "It is in the process of being tested and we hope to know in the next couple of weeks."

Dunfermline, who face the prospect of digging up their present pitch, will hope to have evidence in support of their case before the appeal against the SPL board decision is heard by the SFA.

SFA president John McBeth said: "There was a proposal at the agm about Astroturf and it was almost unanimous that we will follow the Fifa line.

"I think it's only wise because teams like Rangers and Celtic who play in Europe are going to come up against it at some stage.

"There are two standards - there is one for nations, like Africa, who don't have any grass at all and that's a slightly lower standard.

"Then there is the Fifa II standard, which is the one Uefa have accepted and that's the better standard."

It means that such pitches will be permitted in competitions like the Scottish Cup.

McBeth and chief executive David Taylor refused to be drawn on whether they thought Dunfermline's pitch would comply with Fifa guidelines.

The SFA also changed the composition of its board in a bid for greater integration of decision-making in Scottish football.

It approved a proposal to allow SPL executive chairman Lex Gold and John Smith, the president of the Scottish Football League, to join the parent body's board.