Hibs learn Rocky Bushiri disciplinary outcome ahead of Edinburgh derby clash with Hearts

Hibs have avoided a Hampden showdown over the notice of complaint dished out to Rocky Bushiri after the Belgian defender was mistakenly selected for a game he should have missed through suspension.

The 22-year-old picked up cautions in the 1-0 defeat by Falkirk and 4-1 win at Bonnyrigg Rose in the second and third matches of the Premier Sports Cup group stage.

Accumulation of two bookings at that point of the competition incurs a one-match ban but Bushiri played the entire 90 minutes against Morton in Hibs’ final group game, despite being ineligible.

A club statement at the time read: “Hibernian FC would like to apologise to its supporters, Greenock Morton, and the SPFL for the rule breach.

"The administrative error has been investigated internally, and whilst processes are already in place to prevent issues of this nature from occurring, additional steps have been added to ensure this doesn’t happen again.”

The Scottish FA hammered Hibs for the error, awarding the Cappielow side a 3-0 win and thus ending the Easter Road side’s slim chances of progression to the knockout stages after they had drawn the initial match and lost on penalties.

Bushiri was due to face an individual hearing at the national stadium next week after he was charged with allegedly breaching Disciplinary Rule 208, which stipulates that ‘no player or member of team staff shall breach a suspension and no club or football academy shall allow a player of member of team staff to breach a suspension’.

But that has been resolved ahead of time, with Hibs accepting a one-match suspension for Bushiri to be served in next year’s Scottish League Cup.