THE current hierarchy at FIFA still has some way to go to be regarded in as poor a light as their predecessors. It is, you would imagine and sincerely hope, unlikely they ever will be.

Fining the Home Nations for wearing poppies on black armbands at their games on or around Armistice Day last month may be a staggeringly insensitive and nonsensical act by world football’s governing body.

Yet, it pales in comparison with the crimes - which include accepting bribes, corruption, racketeering, vote rigging and wire fraud - those who have occupied senior positions within the organisation in the recent past have either pled guilty to or are awaiting prosecution for.

Read more: SFA to decide action over "Poppygate" fine after receiving written confirmation from FIFA

That isn’t, though, to say the members of the FIFA disciplinary committee who have decided, in their infinite wisdom, to fine England 45,000 Swiss francs (SFr), Scotland and Wales 20,000 SFr and Northern Ireland 15,000 SFr shouldn’t be roundly condemned. They should be.

Nor is it not a worrying development at an organisation which is desperately trying to rebuild its public image and restore faith in those it purports to serve the interests of after years of heinous mismanagement. It most certainly is.

The FA, SFA, FAW and IFA knew full well what the reaction of FIFA would be when they took the decision to honour those who have served or are currently serving in the armed forces having actively sought and been denied permission to wear poppies before their Russia 2018 qualifiers in November.

The suggestion they could be docked World Cup qualifying points amounted to nothing. They will be able to pay fines totalling just under £80,000 without it impacting on their finances or future activities significantly. But that really isn’t the point. None of the associations should have to pay a penny.

Read more: SFA to decide action over "Poppygate" fine after receiving written confirmation from FIFA

The SFA argument, put forward after taking expert legal advice, ahead of the Group F match between Scotland and England at Wembley last month was a sound one. Quite simply, the poppy isn’t “political, religious or personal” slogan or statement.

As Stewart Regan, the SFA chief executive, pointed out at the time. He said: “Wearing an armband with a poppy on is not a breach (of Law 4). If we wear a poppy, we will be wearing something that is about peace and remembrance. FIFA is misinterpreting the rules”.

Regan should certainly know. The SFA is, along with the FA, FAW, IFA and FIFA, one of the members of the International Football Association Board, the body that determines the Laws of the Game.

To make matters worse, these fines have been made five years after FIFA gave their permission to Scotland players to wear poppies on black armbands as well as on their tracksuits in a friendly international against Cyprus in Larnaca on Armistice Day.

To give Scotland the go-ahead in 2011 and then ban them from doing the same thing and fine them in 2016 is downright bizarre. It shows an alarming inconsistency in the decision-making process at Zurich in Switzerland and also exhibits a regrettable intransigence.

It gets worse. Fining the Republic of Ireland 5,000 SFr for wearing a logo to mark the 100th anniversary of the Easter Rising in their friendly match with Switzerland in March yesterday quite frankly beggared belief.

When it emerged that FIFA were considering taking disciplinary action against Scotland and England, as well as Wales and Northern Ireland following their games against Serbia and Azerbaijan respectively, that match at the Aviva Stadium was immediately raised.

Why weren’t the FAI, it was instantly asked, punished for that blatant display of a “political, religious or personal” slogan? The FIFA reaction was to initiate proceedings against them – fully 10 months down the line. It had clearly escaped their attention. What a pathetic manner for such a vast body to conduct its business.

The SFA released a statement yesterday saying they were disappointed with the fine, but would wait to receive written confirmation of the reasons before deciding what action to take. It would be understandable if they just paid up what is a trifling amount for such a sizeable organisation and moved on. Picking a fight with FIFA could be far more hassle than it is worth. But they would have widespread support if they challenged it.

In explaining the reasons for the decision yesterday, FIFA disciplinary committee chairman Claudio Sulser said: “In the stadium and on the pitch, there is only room for sport, nothing else.”

Read more: SFA to decide action over "Poppygate" fine after receiving written confirmation from FIFA

What nonsense. Should we, then, do away with holding a minute’s silence, or a minute’s applause, before games in honour of a great player who has passed away or to commemorate a tragic event like, for example, the Ibrox Disaster?

I attended two games this month which marked the horrifying deaths of the Chapecoenese players in a plane crash in Columbia. It was important that football united at that difficult time and publicly showed its solidarity with the surviving members of the Brazilian side and their supporters. It emphasised that, used properly, the game can be a force for good.

It would have sent out an appalling message if Scotland had played England last month without paying tribute to those who have given their lives in defence of their country. But this decision to fine them has certainly reflected very badly on FIFA indeed.