Rangers Expresses “Serious Concerns” Over Reinstatement of VAR Officials

Rangers has communicated “serious concerns and asked several questions” to the Scottish Football Association (SFA) following the reinstatement of the two Video Assistant Referees (VAR) who officiated the League Cup final, for upcoming December matches. This action comes after the SFA itself acknowledged that Rangers ought to have received a penalty against Celtic. Willie Collum, the SFA’s head of referee operations, previously described the decision by Frank Connor and Alan Muir not to award Rangers a spot-kick against Celtic during the final on 15 December as “really, really poor” and “unacceptable.” Celtic ultimately secured victory in that match via a penalty shootout, following a 3-3 draw. The specific incident involved Liam Scales pulling Vaclav Cerny, which resulted in a free-kick being awarded. Neither Connor nor Muir were assigned to officiate any top-flight matches on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. Nevertheless, Connor is scheduled to serve as an assistant referee for the Kilmarnock versus Aberdeen match on Thursday and the Celtic versus St Johnstone game on Sunday. Muir, meanwhile, is slated for VAR duty during the St Mirren versus Dundee fixture on Sunday. In a statement, Rangers remarked, “We also note one of the officials has been appointed to an SPFL Premiership match involving the club that benefited from the error.” The club further asserted, “The Scottish FA’s actions raise questions about their commitment to improving officiating standards and fostering accountability.” Rangers FC’s statement continued, “While Rangers FC fully respects the independence of officiating appointments and the need for referees to operate without interference, how the Scottish FA handles such high-profile failures directly affects its credibility and public confidence.” The club elaborated, “The decision to reinstate the officials so quickly, and in particular for a fixture involving the club which benefited from the mistake in question, has drawn widespread media scrutiny on the officiating failure and officials concerned. This was both predictable and avoidable, and contradicts any stated duty of care from the Scottish FA towards their match officials.” Rangers acknowledged that “mistakes do happen in football,” but emphasized that “How they are addressed matters enormously.” The club further stated, “We would urge the Scottish FA to demonstrate its desire to improve the quality and consistency of officiating and to do so in a transparent manner.” Rangers clarified, “We are not seeking to challenge the authority of the Scottish FA or the integrity or independence of match officials, but to encourage improved standards and accountability. This is not about influence. It is about good governance.” Concluding its statement, Rangers FC asserted, “Rangers FC expects tangible steps to be taken and remains committed to holding the Scottish FA accountable in the interests of the game.” The Scottish Football Association has been contacted for comment regarding these developments.