The Scottish FA’s new initiatives for refereeing transparency have garnered positive reactions, particularly from Celtic fans and manager Brendan Rodgers. The introduction of the monthly VAR podcast and the ‘Key Match Incident Review Panel’ aims to provide clearer insights into controversial decisions.
In their first review, the panel addressed incidents from the Scottish Premiership, including the penalties awarded during Celtic’s 2-0 victory over Hearts. Steven Naismith, the Hearts coach, expressed frustration over what he perceived as inconsistent officiating, particularly regarding a claimed handball by Liam Scales that was not penalized.
However, the SFA clarified that the Scales incident was correctly assessed based on the “t-shirt line” rule, explaining that the ball hit his arm too high up to warrant a handball call. The panel concluded that VAR appropriately intervened in overturning the penalty for Hearts, noting the proximity of the players and lack of time for Scales to react.
This robust explanation seems to have rendered Naismith’s complaints less convincing, highlighting the importance of the new review processes in addressing fan concerns about refereeing standards.
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