Rangers FC Express Concerns Over VAR Reappointments

Rangers FC has raised concerns with the Scottish Football Association (SFA) after the SFA reinstated the two Video Assistant Referees (VAR) from the League Cup final for December fixtures. The club contacted the SFA to express serious concerns and question the decision to assign Frank Connor and Alan Muir to officiate again following their controversial decision during the 15 December final between Rangers and Celtic.

The disputed incident involved a potential penalty for Rangers when Celtic’s Liam Scales pulled Vaclav Cerny but the referees did not award a spot-kick. Although the SFA’s head of referee operations, Willie Collum, acknowledged the decision as “really, really poor” and “unacceptable,” both referees received new assignments after the incident.

Connor will assist in Kilmarnock’s match against Aberdeen and Celtic’s game against St Johnstone while Muir will serve as VAR for St Mirren’s clash with Dundee.  Rangers pointed out that one of the officials would be involved in a match featuring the club that benefited from the error, raising concerns about the SFA’s commitment to improving officiating standards.

In a statement, Rangers emphasized their respect for the independence of refereeing but questioned the speed at which the SFA reinstated the officials. The club argued that this decision undermined the credibility of the SFA and created unnecessary media scrutiny over the officiating failure. Rangers acknowledged that mistakes happen in football but urged the SFA to demonstrate transparency and accountability in addressing them.

Rangers FC called on the SFA to take tangible steps to improve the quality and consistency of officiating and expressed their commitment to holding the governing body accountable for the betterment of the game. The SFA has not yet responded to Rangers’ concerns.