RANGERS are to boycott a Scottish Premier League commission hearing that could lead to the Glasgow club being stripped of titles for alleged use of a tax avoidance scheme.

Chief executive Charles Green said the SPL inquiry into the club's alleged use of offshore employee benefit trusts (EBTs) from 2000-2011 is "fundamentally misconceived" and that it has no legal authority over the newco.

In a statement, Mr Green accused the SPL of "breathtaking hypocrisy" and some SPL clubs of being "hell-bent on inflicting as much damage on Rangers as possible".

Rangers now play in Division Three, and Mr Green added: "The club ceased to be subject to the SPL's rules when it was ejected from its league."

The SPL has more than a dozen sanctions, including stripping Rangers of league titles, at its disposal should it be decided that the club broke rules about side payments.

It said last week its independent three-man commission would hold its first meetings with Rangers' lawyers today and tomorrow to decide on a timescale and other procedural matters for the hearing.