Dundee United quit Scottish FA KMI panels and raise concerns over VAR

Dundee United have withdrawn from the Scottish FA panel that reviews major refereeing decisions, saying the process is being damaged by individuals with insufficient knowledge of the rules of football.

The Scottish FA’s Key Match Incident panel meets weekly to pass judgement on important calls, and a club representative is part of the group.

United has withdrawn its support and said it won’t be involved, raising concerns over the purpose and impact of the review. They have also emphasised their unhappiness with VAR and the current quality of decision-making from officials.

The Scottish FA introduced the KMI panel in September, committing to publishing the weekly review of key incidents in the hope of increasing transparency and understanding of decisions. The initiative replaced the Independent Review Panel that had been in place for the last year, where a group met every two to three months to look at decisions from the previous 11 rounds of league competition.

The Scottish FA and the clubs decide which incidents to review each week. Each panel consists of five members, all of whom are unpaid volunteers. Three independent panelists have “established careers within Scottish football,” whether as coaches, former players, or members of the media.

There is one representative from SPFL clubs and another from the Scottish FA. Club involvement is voluntary.

A member of the refereeing department is on hand to provide clarity on the law of the game and refereeing guidelines. The governing body’s guidelines for the panel state that “Decisions must be carefully thought-through and articulated, as well as justifiable within the relevant LOTG.”

United believe that where the reviews have highlighted disagreement over refereeing decisions, that has been “based on the opinions of panel members who, for the most part, lack significant expertise in the laws of the game”.

The club’s position is understood to be the result of concerns about the system as a whole and not down to any particular decision. They believe that controversial incidents are being magnified by the media and that in turn increases the pressure on referees and has the potential to unduly influence future decision-making.

The Tannadice club says it has raised concerns about the panel’s “purpose, effectiveness, and impact on Scottish football” with the Hampden refereeing department, headed by former match official Willie Collum, and feels it can no longer participate in the process.

Dundee United’s statement in full

William Hill Premiership match between Dundee United and Heart of Midlothian SNS Group

“Dundee United FC has today formally notified the Scottish FA of our decision to withdraw our representation from the KMI 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.

“Additionally, we have expressed our concerns to the Scottish FA regarding the inconsistent interpretations of the laws of the game arising from VAR. 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.”