Kilmarnock striker Kyle Lafferty has been served a notice of complaint from the SFA over a video that is alleged to show the striker using a sectarian slur.
The 35-year-old was sent home from Northern Ireland duty after the footage emerged while the Ayrshire club have already moved to investigate.
Derek McInnes had earlier refused to confirm if the Northern Ireland international will play at the weekend against Aberdeen at his press conference today.
He said: “We are conducting our own investigation and we are in consultation with the SFA.
"I am not able to say any more until the investigation is over, we will need to wait and see what happens.”
And now the SFA have charged Lafferty via their fast-track procedure under rules 77 and 81.
They are defined as follows:
77 - A recognised football body, club, official, Team Official, other member of Team Staff, player, match official or other person under the jurisdiction of the Scottish FA shall, at all times, act in the best interests of Association Football. Furthermore such person or body shall not act in any manner which is improper or use any one, or a combination of, violent Conduct, serious foul play, threatening, abusive, indecent or insulting words or behaviour.
81 - No recognised football body, club, official, Team Official, other member of Team Staff, player, match official or other person under the jurisdiction of the Scottish FA shall (i) use offensive, insulting or abusive language and/or actions which include(s) a reference, whether express or implied, to any one or more of the following :- ethnic religion, colour, race, nationality, religion or belief, gender, gender reassignment, sexual orientation or disability or (ii) carry out any act of victimisation (as defined in Equality Act 2010) or any act of discrimination by reason of ethnic origin, colour, race, nationality, religion or belief, gender, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, disability, age, pregnancy, maternity, marital status or civil partnership, unless otherwise permitted by law and the rules and regulations of the Scottish FA.
The player's hearing will be held at Hampden on Thursday October 20.
