Dundee United have called for VAR reform due to what they see as ‘inconsistent interpretations of the laws of the game’ and have withdrawn their representation from the Scottish FA’s Key Match Incident panel due to concerns over the body’s purpose.
The Scottish FA introduced a ‘Key Match Incident Review Panel’ in September last year.
The five-person panel, consisting of club personnel, former referees, players, and coaches, examine major incidents from the previous week’s fixtures in the SPFL Premiership or in matches in which VAR is operational in the Premier Sports Cup or Scottish Gas Scottish Cup.
The Panel then votes to determine whether the on-field decision and any subsequent VAR intervention were correct.
United have now pulled away their support of the KMI, underlining their concerns over the purpose and impact of the review. Dundee United notified the Scottish FA of their decision after a 1-0 defeat at Kilmarnock where Marley Watkins’ controversial winning goal was allowed to stand despite a VAR check.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the club said:
“Dundee United FC has today formally notified the Scottish FA of our decision to withdraw our representation from the KMI (key match incident) panel.
“This decision follows extensive discussions throughout the season with the Scottish FA Refereeing Department, where we raised concerns regarding the panel’s purpose, effectiveness, and impact on Scottish football. We believe the panel’s outcomes have been inconsistent with feedback provided by the Scottish FA.
“There have been instances where on-field decisions, supported by VAR and endorsed by the Scottish FA Refereeing Department, were contradicted by the KMI panel. In many cases, these disagreements appear to be based on the opinions of panel members who, for the most part, lack significant expertise in the laws of the game.
“Subsequent outcomes have been magnified by external media misrepresentations, placing undue pressure on our match officials and potentially influencing decisions in future matches. We believe changes should be made to the KMI panel or an alternative, more robust process should be used for reviewing refereeing decisions if deemed a requirement.
The Tangerines have also emphasised their discontent with VAR, calling for all clubs to come together to ensure improvements can be made to its “inconsistency”.
Watch highlights from the Scottish Premiership match between Kilmarnock and Dundee Utd
“Additionally, we have expressed our concerns to the Scottish FA regarding the inconsistent interpretations of the laws of the game arising from VAR,” the club said.
“This inconsistency has, at various times, caused other William Hill Premiership clubs to express their frustration at the use of VAR, and while we are fully aware of our desire to ensure Dundee United at all times are given fair representation, we also wish to improve the overall game in Scottish football and encourage all parties to collaborate on making improvements.
“We further acknowledge that decisions will sometimes go against us – that is an inherent part of football. We also accept that referees, like everyone else, will make mistakes, and we respect the authority of match officials to make decisions – even when they may be contentious. However, as a club, we believe that the introduction of VAR has highlighted inconsistency in decision-making. As a result, scrutiny has been enhanced and refereeing decisions have become a more prominent public issue.
“Dundee United FC will always prioritise the interests of our club, but we will also be reaching out to the Scottish FA and the SPFL, encouraging all Premiership clubs to come together. We are seeking ways to support our officials and improve both the VAR protocol and any subsequent review panel, with a view to enhancing Scottish football for the benefit of its member clubs.”
Participation in the KMI panel is voluntary for each club. It is understood that there is an expert who works alongside the panel in an advisory capacity to point out the laws of the game.
It is also understood the SFA is always looking at ways to evolve VAR as it has done since its introduction in October 2022.
Sky Sports News have reached out to the Scottish FA for comment.
