The Scottish FA have effectively admitted Celtic were on the wrong end of a major officiating error during last weekend’s dramatic 2-1 victory over Hibernian at Easter Road.
Following the release of the latest KMI Panel findings on Saturday morning, serious questions are now being asked about the performances of referee David Dickinson and VAR official Don Robertson after a key penalty incident involving Ben Nygren was ruled incorrectly.
Celtic eventually secured all three points with a late winner in Edinburgh, but the controversy surrounding several decisions from the match has continued to overshadow the build-up to Sunday’s huge Old Firm showdown against Rangers.
The biggest flashpoint came in the second half with the game finely balanced at 1-1.
Nygren appeared to be clearly shoved inside the penalty area by Hibs midfielder Josh Campbell as he tried to pull the ball back across goal from near the byline. Despite both Dickinson and assistant referee Calum Spence having a strong view of the incident, no penalty was awarded, with play instead restarting via a goal kick after tensions briefly erupted between players.
Now, the SFA’s own Key Match Incidents Panel has confirmed the officials got it wrong.
In the official report published on Saturday morning, the panel stated:
“The panel unanimously agreed that the on-field decision was incorrect. The panel highlighted VAR should have intervened to recommend an OFR and a penalty should have been awarded.”
The statement is a damaging blow for both Dickinson and Robertson, especially at a time when officiating standards in Scottish football are already under intense scrutiny.
What makes the admission even more significant is the fact the KMI Panel — made up of former referees, players and pundits — rarely goes as far as directly stating VAR should have intervened to overturn a decision.
Supporters had already voiced frustration during the match itself after the incident received very little replay analysis during Sky Sports coverage, while Robertson and fellow VAR official Duncan Nicolson chose not to send Dickinson to the monitor for a second look.
The panel did, however, back two other major decisions from the match.
Kieran McGrath’s yellow card for his challenge on Alistair Johnston was correctly upgraded to a red card after a VAR review, while the decision to overturn Douglas Ross’ offside flag against Daizen Maeda was also deemed correct, allowing Celtic’s goal to stand.
Despite those calls being supported, it is the Nygren penalty incident that continues to dominate the reaction from fans and pundits alike.
Many supporters believe the failure from both the on-field officials and VAR to award such an obvious penalty raises major concerns heading into the final weeks of the Premiership season.
There has also been continued debate surrounding Joe Newell’s equaliser, with some former referees and pundits arguing the goal should have been disallowed for handball during the build-up. However, the KMI Panel agreed with the decision to let the goal stand after the VAR review.
Attention will now quickly shift towards the Scottish FA’s next referee appointments.
At the time of writing, appointments for the upcoming Premiership fixtures on May 13 and May 16 have yet to be confirmed, increasing speculation over whether Dickinson and Robertson will be trusted with more high-profile matches following the Easter Road controversy.