The Scottish Premier League is to investigate the payment of players at Rangers following allegations that contracts were hidden from the governing body.

The investigation will centre on whether payments were made to playing staff at Ibrox outside of their main contracts and whether SPL rules and regulations were breached.

The Scottish Football Association has already announced its own inquiry into the matter, which was raised following the publication of an interview with former Rangers director Hugh Adam.

The SPL issued a statement confirming the terms of the investigation. It read: "The SPL Board has instructed an investigation into the alleged non-disclosure to the SPL of payments made by or on behalf of Rangers FC to players since July 1, 1998.

"SPL rules F1, G1.1 and G1.5 give the SPL Board wide powers of investigation into potential breaches of the SPL rules.

"SPL rules D9.3 and D1.13 impose a prohibition on players receiving payments for playing football or participating in an activity connected with football except where such payments are made in accordance with a form of contract approved by the SPL and require that all such contracts are submitted to the SPL within 14 days of being entered into."

The SPL's rules give them the power to ask for access to financial records from any club and can ask club officials to give evidence as part of any inquiry.

The potential breach of regulations refers to the specific rules on player contracts.

SPL rule D9.3 states: "No Player may receive any payment of any description from or on behalf of a Club in respect of that Player’s participation in Association Football or in an activity connected with Association Football, other than in reimbursement of expenses actually incurred or to be actually incurred in playing or training for that Club, unless such payment is made in accordance with a Contract of Service between that Club and the Player concerned..

Rule D1.13 that all contracts must be lodged with the governing body. It says: "A Club must, as a condition of Registration and for a Player to be eligible to Play in Official Matches, deliver the executed originals of all Contracts of Service and amendments and/or extensions to Contracts of Service and all other agreements providing for payment, other than for reimbursement of expenses actually incurred, between that Club and Player, to the Secretary, within fourteen days of such Contract of Service or other agreement being entered into, amended and/or, as the case may be, extended."