Labour MP Jim Devine condemned the warning given to Artur Boruc, who reportedly crossed himself in front of rival fans during an Old Firm game.

The MP for Livingston, who is a lifelong Celtic supporter, described the decision as an embarrassment, as footballers in "virtually every stadium in the world" went through a match ritual, including blessing themselves.

Strathclyde Police investigated claims that Boruc, 26, angered a section of the home support after allegedly making the religious gesture at the start of the second half of the match at Ibrox stadium on February 12.

Officers later submitted a report to the procurator fiscal, who then issued the goalkeeper with a warning. [...]

However, Devine said yesterday: "I find it sad that some people in the 21st century find this offensive and feel the need to make a complaint to police about it. Surely the police and Crown Office could be spending their time more effectively than responding to a complaint about a ritual that takes place on a routine basis in just about every football match. I will be writing to the Crown Office for a full explanation of their decision as this could end up happening every week."

The Catholic Church described the decision to warn the Polish footballer about his conduct as "alarming".