Scottish football’s head of refereeing Willie Collum has taken centre stage to address two controversial decisions that overshadowed the final games of the Scottish Premiership season.
The incidents dominated the climax of what many described as one of the most thrilling title races in Scottish top flight history, sparking widespread debate across the country.
Referee Steven McLean failed to award Hearts a penalty at Fir Park for a disputed foul on Alexandros Kyziridis, a decision that would have significant consequences for the title race.
Days later at the same ground, Celtic were awarded a spot kick for an alleged handball by Sam Nicholson, a call that Hearts manager Derek McInnes branded “disgusting.”
The Key Match Incident Panel, consisting of one independent member with an established career in Scottish football, one laws of the game expert, and one SPFL clubs representative, ruled officials got both decisions wrong.
Audio released by Sky Sports revealed the VAR conversation between Andrew Dallas and referee John Beaton, in which Dallas told Beaton: “The ball comes from the throw-in, the Motherwell player jumps, his arm is above shoulder height.”
Beaton responded by asking, “And it definitely hits his arm?” before Dallas confirmed: “It definitely hits the arm. We’ll pause it at point of contact.”
Beaton then declared: “OK, penalty kick. I’m awarding a penalty kick, no sanction.”
Nicholson himself categorically denied handling the ball, revealing that even some Celtic players questioned the decision after the game.
“I can categorically say, it never hit my hand,” Nicholson told the Terrace, adding that Celtic players approached him after the match saying, “That’s crazy.”
Motherwell goalkeeper Calum Ward also reignited the debate, describing the call as “one of the biggest decisions in the season” and questioning how Beaton reached his conclusion so quickly.
“After seeing it back after the game it’s hard to see how he has come to that decision in such a short amount of time,” Ward said, noting an angle from behind the goal showed “the ball coming off the top of his head.”
Kelechi Iheanacho converted the resulting penalty, and Celtic went on to win the title with a 3-1 victory over Hearts on the final day.
The KMI panel ruled by a majority of two to one that the penalty should not have been awarded, stating that VAR was incorrect to intervene and that the on-field decision of play on was correct.
SFA chief Ian Maxwell defended the VAR system throughout the controversy, stating firmly: “VAR is working. It’s eradicating errors. But unfortunately we have a culture within Scottish football that just wants to focus on the negative.”
Maxwell added that when controversy “crosses over into allegations of bias and corruption or being disrespectful to our staff and officials, a line has been crossed and I need to say enough is enough.”
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