BBC Sport reports that Iain Brines has been dropped by the Scottish FA from this year's nominations for the Fifa list of referees. Two first-time nominees are Euan Norris and Alan Muir, who are in their second year in charge of games in the SPL.

Drew Herbertson, SFA head of discipline, declined to comment.

Brines has come in for criticism for his displays this year; he disallowed an apparently good Aberdeen goal at Celtic Park in April and Falkirk boss John Hughes accused the referee of unfair treatment after Brines reprimanded the Falkirk head coach for entering his team's dressing-room while serving a touchline ban.

The 41-year-old official has been on the Fifa list since 2003.