The SFA have cancelled the annual refereeing jolly to Spain for training purposes.
Instead Scotland’s elite officials will meet up at Edinburgh’s Oriam Centre on Sunday to review recent events.
Four or five day trips to the south of Spain has been a regular perk over the last couple of years giving the referees some full time training alongside plenty of networking opportunities in the evening.
However, according to the Daily Record:
Category one officials and specialist assistants will meet at the Oriam for a training day after their traditional mid-winter trip to Spain was scrapped.
The SFA are using the budget to promote the recruitment and retention of young refs instead.
The officials will be put through their paces in a series of practical exercises before joining forces at the end to discuss recent controversies.
It seems that criticism from social media, highlighting inconsistencies has effected top level referees and their relationship with the SFA.
In the first weekend of the season Alfredo Morelos had a red card awarded by Kevin Clancy against Aberdeen downgraded to a yellow. A week later John Beaton opted not to punish Steven Naismith as he kicked out at a grounded Jonny Hayes.
Soon afterwards Allan McGregor escaped retrospective action after kicking out at opponents in successive games against Motherwell and Celtic.
When Celtic requested publication of Beaton’s match report in the Glasgow derby it seems that referees and the SFA have reached for the panic button.