Former SPFL referees Des Roache and Steve Conroy have delved into the controversial decision that saw Daizen Maeda’s goal disallowed in Celtic’s recent Scottish Premiership match against Hibernian. The release of VAR audio by the Scottish FA shed light on the decision-making process, as the VAR and assistant VAR team reviewed multiple camera angles to determine if Alistair Johnston had played the ball out of play before setting up Maeda’s goal.
The decision to overturn the goal at Easter Road rested on the possibility that the ball had crossed the line before Johnston’s delivery, leading to heated debate among fans, players, and officials. The current rules state that a decision can only be overturned if there is “clear and obvious” evidence, but SFA head of referees Willie Collum, speaking on The VAR Review, expressed that the goal should have stood. He cited the absence of “100 per cent conclusive” evidence that the entire ball had crossed the line.
Roache and Conroy, drawing on their vast experience in Scottish refereeing, expressed vehement disapproval of the decision on their platform, The Ref’s View X. Their analysis highlighted the lack of definitive evidence and criticized the officials for making two questionable decisions in the VAR room this year based on mere guesses.
This latest controversy adds to a growing list of contentious VAR decisions in Scottish football, prompting ongoing scrutiny of the technology’s consistency and reliability in crucial match situations. The comments from Roache and Conroy underscore the importance of transparent decision-making processes and the need for greater accountability in refereeing decisions.
