SFA's Collum Defends VAR Calls in Premiership Games

Willie Collum, the Scottish Football Association's head of referee operations, defended several video assistant referee decisions in recent Scottish Premiership matches while acknowledging errors that could influence the tight title race, during the latest edition of the SFA's VAR Review show.

Collum analyzed incidents from games involving Celtic, Rangers, Motherwell, Hibernian, Livingston, and Aberdeen, emphasizing the need for consistency in officiating as the season nears its end. He confirmed that clubs will be consulted over the summer on rules for red cards in cases of denying obvious goal-scoring opportunities, known as DOGSO, but stressed that referees would stick to current guidelines to avoid mid-season confusion.

One key discussion centered on a challenge by Celtic midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain on Motherwell's Elijah Just during Celtic's 3-1 win at Celtic Park last week. Oxlade-Chamberlain received a yellow card in the seventh minute, and VAR official Kevin Clancy deemed the tackle insufficient for serious foul play, describing it as boot-on-boot contact with a glancing blow. Collum agreed the on-field yellow was correct and unlikely to be overturned if upgraded...