I’ve had a look at this KMI Panel ruling re: the Motherwell v Celtic last minute penalty. It can be quickly discredited…
Their findings are published via the official Scottish FA website and on the table setting out their recent May decisions, this one (the last minute penalty awarded to Celtic in Match Round 37) is given a difficulty rating of 5.
‘The type of judgement where technology is needed to support officials’
At the foot of the table, 5 is defined as “a particularly tough decision that all referees would struggle with. The type of judgement where technology is needed to support officials”.
By a vote of 2:1, the panel felt that VAR was incorrect to intervene! This conflicts with the difficulty rating of 5 which directs that “technology is needed”. So their opinion is invalid, overruled by their own guidance!
‘Clear and obvious’ enough for John Beaton to change his on-field decision
In addition, they seem to exceed their own remit, giving the view (by 2:1) that the on-field decision not to award a penalty was correct. However, logic suggests that if the referee found something in the review footage which was “clear and obvious” enough to change his decision to a penalty award, then the VAR intervention was in fact correct and did its job properly.
“It was such a big call” 🗣️
The ref watch panel react to the The Scottish FA’s key match incident panel revelation that Celtic should not have been awarded the match-winning penalty at Motherwell ⚽️ pic.twitter.com/rc172xhuXJ
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) May 25, 2026
Fatally flawed on its own terms
There has been plenty of media comment about this KMI Panel decision, (there has already been wide coverage), but on closer inspection it can be shown to be fatally flawed on its own terms.
Perhaps you’d like to mention this in your writings! I have sent a similar email to Celtic at the View and through the Supporter Liaison Officer, and also to other fan media outlets. No idea if anyone will pick it up, but it’s a good counter argument to the liars and slanderers who are all flaunting it in their ‘esteemed’ pages!
Michael M
Michael contacted us and we’re happy to publish supporters’ opinions and articles. If you would like to write for Celticshorts.com please drop us an email to editor@celticshorts.com.
We await Willie Collum’s view in his VAR Review
It will be interesting to hear what Willie Collum has to say about this penalty decision in the final VAR Review of the season which should be out shortly and we’ll cover that on Celtic Shorts as you would expect.
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3 Comments
I suppose that the question is over who assigned the difficulty rating of 5 to the incident. Clearly, as MM stated, the 5 rating means that the VAR intervention was correct (according to whoever drafts the table of incidents to be put before the KMI panel), but 2 members of the panel disagreed with the drafter’s interpretation. Would Willie Collum be the man responsible for assigning the difficulty rating? We’ll find out on Friday!
These panels are a waste os time and only in place to stir up trouble.
Let’s not forget that we already heard and read the opinions of so many so-called “experts” who gave their opinions, most of which came from a place of bias and bitterness!
Despite clear and obvious pictorial evidence of the hand to ball in the unnatural position being shown, it became quite embarrassing to hear how many actually went into sheer denial whilst looking directly at it!
These panels are no different! They are all about self interest.
I highlighted this very point in day kmi panel verdict came out and I read that interpretation of it ,I messaged both the scum Scottish sun newspaper and daily ranger to point this out ,a blatant contradiction ,the anti Celtic members missed in their hurry to condemn