GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - MARCH 01: Celtic Manager Martin O'Neill (L) and Referee John Beaton (R) shake hands at full time during a William Hill Premiership match between Rangers and Celtic at Ibrox Stadium, on March 01, 2026, in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Craig Foy/SNS Group via Getty Images)
The SFA have delivered a whitewash of the penalty incidents ‘missed’ in last Sunday’s Glasgow Derby.
In another deflection exercise the Key Match Incident panel apparently holds a weekly review of key refereeing incidents in recent matches.
The panel includes all sorts including former players, managers and media pundits!
The SFA lends credibility to the opinions of folk employed by Sky Sports and BBC Scotland. Two organisations with similar impartiality issues as the SFA.
SFA CAREFUL SELECTION OF INCIDENTS FOR REVIEW
Celtic had three cast iron penalty claims at Ibrox. All three were missed by John Beaton. Finally in the 86th minute Steven McLean on VAR duty decided that he better intervene.
Following that path the KMI panel opted to ignore the two earlier penalty claims.
That is the rugby challenge on Liam Scales in the 11th minute and Dujon Sterlings prolonged jersey pulling and man handling of Sebastian Tounekti in the 82nd minute.
Nothing to see here. Sweep. Sweep.
The SFA website reported:
MR29 Rangers Celtic Possible penalty against R21 for handball – penalty not awarded 86 Referee 4 Incorrect 0:3 Y Correct 3:0 Correct 3:0
The panel unanimously agreed that the on-field decision of no penalty was incorrect. The panel highlighted VAR was correct to intervene to recommend an OFR and the decision of penalty for handball was correct.
Even in the one incident selected the neutral panel offers no explanation over why Sterling wasn’t booked for using his arm to block a goal-bound effort.
The SFA are guaranteed that there will no be complaints from Celtic over the standard of refereeing. That has been club policy since July 2012.
The last time that Celtic issued their surprised and disappointed template statement was in January 2019 following a Beaton performance at Ibrox.
Since then the man from the Crown Bar in Bellshill has been a permanent fixture for the Glasgow Derby with most of his appointments being at Ibrox.
This Sunday Don Robertson will referee the Scottish Cup tie at Ibrox with Andrew Dallas on VAR. Celtic fans know exactly what to expect from that combination.
There has been virtually no media coverage of the penalty claims at Ibrox on Sunday.
If Sky Sports and BBC Sportscene decide not to highlight an incident it is unlikely to be put to the KMI panel that often involves pundits from those channels.
The player in question involved in the 2nd claim Tounekti lacks any streetwise skills whatsoever,a bit like the board at parkhead.
Yes, it would seem obvious that some sort of (funny handshake?) agreement
has been made between the SFA and/or the SPFL and the TV broadcasters?
Why would the TV broadcasters agree to avoid highlighting match officials’ ‘errors’ ?
Well, if for example Sky replayed all the dodgy decisions numerous times during and after the game, they might be persuaded that they are ‘devaluing the product’ they have paid for…
because it calls into question the integrity and quality of the match officials – and the value of Scottish games they show?
It’s a simple, justifiable business decision from the broadcasters’ perspective?
Their job is to attract viewers: assuring integrity in the game sits with the SFA…
🙁
BBC Scotland Sportscene and Sportsound ensure that the BBC’s standards of impartiality are rigorously applied.
On the one hand, there is the never ending parade of former Ibrox players that makes up 80-90% of their pundit rota. By way of balance we get former Celtic legends Scott Allan, a Rangers fan, and Cillian Sheridan. Approximately 15 appearances in the Hoops each. Seems totally legit.
I can’t imagine any BBC pundits that take part in the KMI panel being anything other than totally impartial such is their dedication to impartiality, fairness and sporting integrity.
Some daft Bas*tards must have to,pay for these bent fu*ks in that KMI cartel…
Celtic had better not contribute but probably fu**in will !
5way agreement anyone?
Editor: Some would describe it as the Six Way Agreement. Peter?