VAR has never been universally popular since it’s introduction to the Scottish Premiership in 2022.
And things may be getting worse as in the last few days, St Mirren and now Dundee United have released angry statements relating to elements of VAR.
The Buddies were disappointed a penalty wasn’t awarded for a foul on Elvis Bwomono in their defeat to St Johnstone, baffled as to how this could be missed by VAR officials with the benefit of being able to watch replays.
But they didn’t alert the on-pitch referee to anything and the game went on as normal, with St Johnstone claiming the points with a late Bozo Mikulic winner.
St Mirren are aggrieved as they feel decisions are continually going against them, with refs’ chief Willie Collum already admitting five mistakes in relation to them.
And the Paisley club have demanded the running of VAR be taken away from the SFA and handed to an independent body, according to the Daily Record.
And they are not the only Premiership club with a grievance.
- READ MORE: Ref Watch verdicts on decisions involving Dundee United, Kilmarnock, St Mirren & St Johnstone
Dundee United hit out at VAR and KMI Panel
Dundee United have withdrawn their representation from the KMI panel, which assesses decisions taken on key match incidents with the use of VAR.
As described by the SFA: “The Panel shall comprise three members selected from the list of independent panel members maintained by the Scottish FA, one representative from the Scottish FA and one representative from SPFL clubs.”
The Tannadice club have concerns around members not having enough understanding of the laws of the game and their assessments being inconsistent with guidance coming out of the governing body.
Their statement reads: “Dundee United FC has today formally notified the Scottish FA of our decision to withdraw our representation from the KMI panel.
“This decision follows extensive discussions throughout the season with the Scottish FA Refereeing Department, where we raised concerns regarding the panel’s purpose, effectiveness, and impact on Scottish football. We believe the panel’s outcomes have been inconsistent with feedback provided by the Scottish FA.
“There have been instances where on-field decisions, supported by VAR and endorsed by the Scottish FA Refereeing Department, were contradicted by the KMI panel. In many cases, these disagreements appear to be based on the opinions of panel members who, for the most part, lack significant expertise in the laws of the game.
“Subsequent outcomes have been magnified by external media misrepresentations, placing undue pressure on our match officials and potentially influencing decisions in future matches. We believe changes should be made to the KMI panel or an alternative, more robust process should be used for reviewing refereeing decisions if deemed a requirement.
“Additionally, we have expressed our concerns to the Scottish FA regarding the inconsistent interpretations of the laws of the game arising from VAR. This inconsistency has, at various times, caused other William Hill Premiership clubs to express their frustration at the use of VAR, and while we are fully aware of our desire to ensure Dundee United at all times are given fair representation, we also wish to improve the overall game in Scottish football and encourage all parties to collaborate on making improvements.”
What St Mirren said on VAR
In their statement on Sunday, St Mirren said: “St Mirren FC is disappointed with the decision not to award a penalty in the first-half of yesterday’s match against St Johnstone following a foul on Elvis Bwomono.
“A VAR review cleared this decision without requiring the referee to look at the incident on the pitchside monitor. The club has spoken to Scottish Football Association’s Referee Department today seeking clarity on this and other decisions in yesterday’s match.
“Clearly, we are all humans and mistakes will happen. However, there has now been an accumulation of errors made against St Mirren.
“This is hugely disappointing for the club and our supporters, and we will continue to engage with the Scottish FA to improve standards of officiating.”