Before I kick this off I think it’s very important to state that Celtic's Aleksandar Tonev has not, at the time of writing, been found guilty of racially abusing Aberdeen’s Shay Logan. The SFA have received referee Bobby Madden’s report on the alleged incident revolving a remark made by the Bhoys star to his opponent and a case may be made if clear evidence is found.

Celtic have insisted that Tonev has stated to them that he’s not guilty, while the player’s agent has also defended his client.

Of course we all hope that he is not culpable and that the incident is just a misunderstanding. But should he have made the remark he’s accused of, then the SFA must throw the book at both club and player in a bid to ensure that repeat incidents are not witnessed or endured by anybody.

Tonev was up against Logan for the entire game, which ended 2-1, in what was a heated showing between the pair. The Bulgarian, on loan from Aston Villa, frequently clashed with his opponent in a footballing sense, with both players refusing to give an inch in their battle.

Logan reported the incident early in the second half and informed both his captain Mark Reynolds and the referee.

Now, nothing has been proven, but the last thing Scottish football needs is more controversy. We’re not here to delve into the accusations to have been thrown back and forth between Celtic and Rangers down the years or even Leigh Griffiths' relatively recent troubles, but these problems leave the game in a difficult position.

This incident cannot be swept under the carpet, with acts of racial abuse or gestures of any kind simply unacceptable in the modern game. Football in Britain has moved forward almost immeasurable leaps since the days of the 70s and 80s and it’s always worth remembering that nations across Europe are still involved in shameful accusations on an almost seasonal basis.

That is not to mean that Tonev should be given an easy ride at all, with the UK having the reputation it has due to strict enforcement and punishment for offenders. Luis Suarez and John Terry are two of the most high profile wrongdoers in recent times, and the FA acted swiftly on both counts to ensure that the players were banned for lengthy periods, fined and held up as examples to others.

Even though Tonev was not in British football during the times of these offences he will be aware of the punishments dished out and the strict warnings aimed at other professionals, rendering any action, if guilty, he made completely unacceptable.

I’ll stress again that I hope for the sake of football that he’s not proven to have made such utterances, but should he have then the SFA must act as their counterparts below the border did – quickly and efficiently.

Tonev should not be banned for life – everyone deserves a second chance in society – but a massive punishment and a vast fine should be dished out. Further to this, Celtic, although some could deem this unfair, should suffer some sort of sanction.

This would help in getting the message through that racism is intolerable and help to ensure that such attitudes are not bred within groups of players.

This incident is set to rumble on with more announcements set for later this week. So for now we will all continue to sit tight and hope that this episode is just a horrible mix-up.

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