Ross County defender Callum Semple has been hit with an eight-match ban for breaking the Scottish FA’s rules on gambling.

The 20-year-old was found guilty of betting on football between July 2018 and March 1 this year.

The centre-half breached disciplinary rule 31, which states that "no club, official or other member of team staff, player, match official or other person under the jurisdiction of the Scottish FA shall gamble in any way on a football match".

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Semple spent the first half of the season on loan at Queen of the South from Sheffield United before joining County on an 18-month deal in January.

He will now serve an immediate two-game suspension, with another six matches suspended until the end of next season.

The youngster is the latest to be censured for breaking gambling rules, with the likes of Joey Barton, Shaun Byrne and Dean Brett falling foul of the regulations in recent times.

Referee Nikki Fraser, who handles junior and amateur matches, was also fined £200 following a hearing on March 28 over charges that he placed bets on matches between 2014 and 2018.