Celtic and Hearts handball calls judged by officials as SFA plot out weekly VAR review panel
The SFA have announced a weekly VAR review panel to cover every controversial decision.
A Key Match Incident Review Panel (KMI Panel) has been set up by the governing body to ensure every call by the officials is pored over and analysed in any given Premiership fixture. A rating system will grade both on-field referees as well as VAR officials with green and red ratings being put to use.
Should both be deemed incorrect on any decision a "double red" verdict will be dished out. This week there was one handed out which was the call not to send off Shaun Rooney for a kick out at Kilmarnock's Kyle Vassell.
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The panel explained: "The panel discussed this decision at length, with the majority (3:2) deeming the on-field decision incorrect, noting that the Kilmarnock defender's arm is out from his body making himself bigger. The majority (3:2) believed there was a need for a VAR intervention while two panellists believed that play should have continued with no VAR intervention."
In Celtic vs Hearts it was ruled that both penalty decisions were correct while it was the right decision to rule out Adam Idah's goal which would have made it 3-0 to the Hoops.
An SFA statement mapped out the guidelines, reading: "The Scottish FA has introduced a Key Match Incident Review Panel, a five-person panel that will examine major incidents from that week’s fixtures in the SPFL Premiership or in matches in which VAR is operational in the Premier Sports Cup or Scottish Gas Scottish Cup. The Panel will vote to determine whether the on-field decision and any subsequent VAR intervention were correct.
"The KMI Panel replaces the Independent Review Panel (IRP) introduced last year to review match incidents. While the IRP met every two to three months to consider VAR interventions and non-interventions from the previous full 11 rounds of fixtures, the KMI Panel will meet on a weekly basis to consider incidents from the previous week’s fixtures.
"Each KMI Panel will consist of five members: three independent panel members with established careers within Scottish football – such as coaches, former players and members of the Scottish football media – one representative from the Scottish FA and one representative from SPFL clubs.
"Each panellist will have one vote on each KMI, with the outcome of each review determined by the majority. Incidents for the KMI Panel to review each week are selected by SPFL clubs or the Scottish FA.
"The KMI Panel will also award a rating for the difficulty level of the decision in question, based on the following scoring method:
A simple decision that all officials should get correct.
A fairly simple decision for a Select official, but with more factors to consider.
A more complex decision with a greater degree of subjectivity and/or more factors to consider, that a Select official should nonetheless call correctly.
A difficult decision for officials with a high degree of subjectivity or challenging considerations to identify. One that needs deliberation. A 50/50 call.
A particularly tough decision that all match officials would struggle with. The type of judgement where technology is needed to support officials.
"The first KMI Panel met yesterday to review incidents from fixtures this past weekend, Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 September.
"Outcomes of the KMI Panel meetings, including this week's inaugural panel, will be published each week here: Key Match Incident Review Panel Outcomes | Referees | Scottish FA.
"The creation of the KMI panel is the latest step in the Scottish FA’s commitment to improved transparency and efficiency in refereeing and knowledge and understanding of the use of VAR in Scottish football.
"It follows the launch last week of the Scottish FA’s Var Review, a monthly show with behind-the-scenes insight on the big decisions across Scottish football hosted on the Scottish FA’s YouTube channel. The VAR Review features matchday audio between on-field referees and the VARs in Clydesdale House. It examines the decisions made – whether they are right or wrong – and how those decisions are reached."