Craig Gordon attended a disciplinary meeting last Tuesday

Hearts had said before the 1-0 win over Dundee United that he was not fit.

But Scottish players' union secretary Fraser Wishart said: "That is a blatant lie. I spoke to Craig on the morning of the game and he wasn't ill."

Head coach Valdas Ivanauskas again insisted before the Boxing Day derby against Hibs that Gordon had been ill.

Gordon had joined Paul Hartley and then captain Steven Pressley in announcing unrest within the dressing-room back in October.

Pressley has since left the club, while Hartley attended an internal disciplinary meeting a fortnight ago and was subequently dropped from the starting line-up.

Ask me something about the game, not more about Craig Gordon Valdas Ivanauskas

It was Gordon's turn to face his bosses last Tuesday, despite being made captain in succession to his Scotland team-mate.

And, although Ivanauskas on Friday insisted that Gordon would not lose his place as a result, it was deputy Steve Banks who started the match against United.

Gordon had warmed up for the game at Tannadice on Saturday in a short-sleeved shirt and sat the match out on the substitutes' bench.

"He is fine now, but he wasn't before the game," Ivanauskas told BBC Sport.

"He trained after the Dundee United game and hopefully he will okay."

Team-mate Robbie Neilson had also later questioned the claim that Gordon had been ill.

But, pressed on dissent within his own dressing-room, Ivanauskas replied: "Ask me something about the game, not more about Craig Gordon."

Neilson, who had started against United, was not even on the bench to face Hibs - one of seven changes made by Ivanauskas.

But the head coach insisted that the Scotland right-back had simply been rested because of a hectic festive schedule and that squad rotation was required.