Michael Stewart has questioned Scottish football refereeing standards following the questionable officiating in Sunday’s Glasgow Derby.
Speaking out, Stewart emphasised what many fans perceived as a significant error that altered the outcome of one of the season’s most important games.
Rangers were awarded a penalty in a game where Celtic led 2-0, which sparked their comeback to a 3-3 draw.
Stewart said: [BBC] “The officiating is embarrassing our game. They’ve impacted the result in the biggest game of the season. Disgraceful.”
Rangers’ Fabio Silva went down in the box after being challenged by Celtic’s Alistair Johnston, prompting the penalty decision. Referee John Beaton, who originally awarded Silva a yellow card for simulation, changed his decision following a VAR intervention headed by Nick Walsh.
Beaton was granted the penalty after being persuaded by the VAR review to consult the pitchside monitor.
Silva appeared to be falling before any serious impact was made, indicating that Beaton’s first decision was correct. The overturning of this call not only altered the complexion of the match, but it also fueled ongoing discussions over the league’s officiating consistency and accuracy.
This event resurfaced charges earlier levelled by Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers, who described Beaton as “incompetent” following disputed decisions against Hearts.
As conversations continue, the Scottish FA is under increasing pressure to address these concerns and improve officiating standards in order to maintain the competition’s credibility.
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