There may well be no way to definitively say that it was ‘the worst VAR decision in history’, as Elliot Watt somewhat foolhardily claimed on social media in the aftermath of his Motherwell side’s controversial loss to Celtic back in May with his blood running hot. Even if high profile figures like Gary Lineker agreed with him.
But the decision to award THAT critical stoppage time penalty for an apparent handball by Sam Nicholson was, without doubt, the most contentious call of last season.
Everyone had an opinion on it, as the likes of Lineker weighing in proved. And so, clearly, did Watt. But it seems that on the Scottish FA Judicial Panel’s watch, expressing one’s views on refereeing decisions is no longer permitted. Even if you don’t call into question the integrity of their officials, but simply disagree with a decision they have made, you had better keep it to yourself.
The four-match ban meted out to Watt for his post is not only incredibly harsh, but it also raises some pertinent and pressing questions. Firstly, as the SFA’s own KMI Panel also disagreed with the decision, will those members who voted that the VAR team and referee John Beaton had made a blunder also be suspended?
More seriously, and more importantly though, what precedent does this ban set when there are some meaty disciplinary hearings to come in the coming days and weeks?
Up first is Derek McInnes, then Hearts and now Rangers manager, who will find out his fate on Wednesday after making his own views clear on the Nicholson handball incident in his post-match interview with Sky Sports at Tynecastle that fateful evening. Had Motherwell held on for the draw, of course, only an absolute tanking at Celtic Park on the final day would have denied his team the Premiership title.
"When you heard Celtic got a 96th minute penalty that was going to VAR and they were checking it, you just assume what's happened is they get the penalty,” McInnes said.
"Having seen it again, it's disgusting. It is. I don't think it's a penalty kick. But we're up against it. We're up against everybody."
One can only imagine what the Judicial Panel will make of these comments. If they had the power, McInnes might be swapping his dapper new suit, brogues and Rangers tie for prison-issue duds from the Bar-L.
With notices of complaint also set to be issued imminently relating to the Scottish Cup quarter final between Rangers and Celtic at Ibrox - which was, you may recall, not only a rather controversial encounter, but one that took place back in March – it is quite the moment for the Judicial Panel to be setting a precedent for such hefty punishments. If they stay true to this form, squads will be decimated, dugouts will be emptied and director’s boxes will be full of managers come the opening day of the season.
For the record, it is Disciplinary Rule 72 that Watt and McInnes stand accused of breaching, which reads: “No recognised football body, club, official, Team Official or other member of Team Staff, player or other person under the jurisdiction of the Scottish FA, shall in an interview, a ‘blog’ on the internet, on a social networking or micro-blogging site, or in any other manner calculated or likely to lead to publicity (i) criticise the Decision(s) and/or performance(s) of any or all match official(s) in such a way as to indicate bias or incompetence on the part of such match official; or (ii) make remarks about such match official(s) which impinge on his character.”
Now, admittedly, it could be argued that labelling a call as the ‘worst VAR decision in history’ does indeed indicate incompetence on the part of the match officials, so it’s a fair cop there. But the punishment surely doesn’t fit the crime. To dish out four matches when the surely far more serious bar of calling into question the impartiality of officials hasn’t been met seems heavy-handed in the extreme.
What’s more, Motherwell themselves received a £5000 fine having been found to be in breach of the same rule for their own social media post following the match, and while many have assumed their offence was the wording of their post, which led with the line, ‘As the world of football mocks our game…’, I understand that the charge actually related to a single shot in their video summary of the match, which showed referee Beaton shaking hands with Celtic captain Callum McGregor in the Fir Park tunnel before the game got underway.
That was enough for the Judicial Panel to rule that Motherwell had ‘inferred bias’, despite the Fir Park club’s protestations and production of countless examples where they had shown similar footage in mitigation, and for them to dish out the five grand fine.
Clearly, the fallout from the match at Fir Park back in May with the eyes of a huge audience trained on Scottish football has spurred some within the SFA to seek hefty retribution, and they will no doubt point to the police protection referee Beaton was provided in the aftermath of that match as justification for the severe punishments they have dealt to Watt and Motherwell.
But where do we go from here? We will soon find out. What seems certain is that in the next few weeks, and in the season to come, club lawyers the length and breadth of the land are going to make a killing.
