THE war between Hearts owner Vladimir Romanov and the Scottish Football Association has taken a dramatic new turn with the start of an SFA inquiry into the Lithuanian millionaire's links with clubs on the continent.

Following the draw for the European Championships 2008, Hearts director Liutauras Varanavicius is also set to be quizzed over his role as president of the Football Federation of Lithuania - the Baltic republic has been drawn in Scotland's group in the tournament and will play their first match against the Scots on October 11.

Combined with a continuing SFA investigation into Hearts manager Graham Rix over whether his conviction for a sex crime means he is not a 'fit and proper person' to work in football, the new inquiry puts Hearts on a collision course with the sport's ruling body.

If the club presently lying second in the Scottish Premierleague is found to have breached the rules, sanctions could include anything from a fine to withdrawal of the club's licence, meaning automatic expulsion from European competition.

Scotland on Sunday can reveal that the SFA has written to Hearts asking for clarification as to Romanov's exact role with the Tynecastle club. SFA sources have confirmed that there is growing concern over Romanov's links with three clubs - Hearts, Minsk MTZ-RIPO of Belarus and FKB Kaunas of Lithuania.

Romanov has been an outspoken critic of the SFA and demanded they order a replay of the Hearts-Celtic New Year match. An SFA source said: "You can take it that Romanov's recent remarks about the Association have not helped matters."

A spokesman for Hearts confirmed last night that the club had received the letter from the SFA: "They have written to us asking about Vladimir's role and we will be supplying information to the SFA as requested."

Also coming under investigation is Liutauras Varanavicius, who was unanimously re-elected a director of Heart of Midlothian plc at the club's annual general meeting on January 26. He is also president of the Lithuanian Football Federation.

"We were told that he was going to resign from Hearts before the AGM," said a senior SFA source, "but instead he was re-elected and that gives us a problem."

The matter is particularly upsetting for the SFA because Scotland have been drawn to play Lithuania in the European Championships, which means that a director of a Scottish Premierleague club is actively involved with a national side trying to put Scotland out of Euro 2008.

"Our office bearers keep meeting him at UEFA and FIFA events and it's a bit embarrassing, really," said the source.

Scotland on Sunday has learned that the questions over Romanov were raised with the SFA by other clubs and will be considered by the General Purposes Committee. George Peat, first vice-president of the SFA, and chairman of the committee, would not discuss specific inquiries but said last night: "We are looking into these issues and have asked Hearts for information."

The concerns over the position of both Romanov and Varanavicius were raised under Articles 13 and 14 of the SFA's Articles of Association. These rules ban 'dual interest' in clubs and specifically ban people from the management and administration of two clubs anywhere in the world and "having any power whatsoever to influence the management or administration of more than one club."

Romanov also faces inquiry on another front. Alex Smith, chairman of the Managers' and Coaches' Association in Scotland, has called on the SFA to investigate whether Romanov broke FIFA rules when he allegedly "picked the team" as claimed by Hearts' players: under these rules, unqualified personnel should have no involvement in team matters.

The investigation into Graham Rix under the 'fit and proper' rule, otherwise known as Article 10, will take a significant step forward on Wednesday when the General Purposes Committee meets at Hampden. Rix was sent to prison in 1999 for having sex with a 15-year-old girl.

Scotland on Sunday has learned that Hearts will make a formal reply to the committee, which has given the club time to consult an expert on 'risk assessment'.

"We will be supplying information to the committee on Wednesday," said a club spokesman last night.

But the most worrying development for Romanov, who now owns more than 80 per cent of Hearts, is the questions over his links to both Kaunas and Minsk.

Article 13 states that "except with the prior written consent of the SFA Board no club, or nominee of a club, may at the same time either directly or indirectly... be involved in any capacity whatsoever in the management or administration of another club." Article 14 extends that ban to companies and associates connected with a club, and defines 'associate' as a close relative or 'body corporate'.

Vladimir Romanov's son Roman is chairman of Hearts, while his various UKIO financial companies fund Hearts, Kaunas and Minsk.

A key figure in any possible resolution of the disputes between Hearts and the SFA will be Campbell Ogilvie, the club's chief executive. Until recently he was a senior vice-president of the SFA.

Taken from the Scotsman