SFA panel split on Rangers penalty decision as Celtic v Falkirk red card gets unanimous verdict

The Key Match Incident Review Panel will meet each week to examine major incidents from the previous weekend's matches before voting on whether the on-field decision and any subsequent VAR interventions were correct.

Made up of five people who either work within Scottish football or the media, each panellist casts one vote on each KMI, with the outcome of each review determined by majority decision.

In total, the KPI panel reviewed 17 incidents from the two William Hill Premiership matches and two Premier Sports Cup quarter-final ties which featured VAR over the weekend of September 20 and 21.

They found that no incorrect outcomes were reached - including the decision to award Rangers a 48th-minute penalty in their 3-0 win over Dundee in the Premier Sports Cup quarter-final.

The panel unanimously agreed that referee Chris Graham was correct to penalise Dundee midfielder Mohamed Sylla for a foul on striker Cyriel Dessers, with James Tavernier duly converting from the spot. This was despite Dundee manager Tony Docherty complaining afterwards that the decision was "soft".

The report stated: "The panel supported the on-field decision, noting that the Dundee defender was caught on the wrong side and subsequently fouled the Rangers attacker."

However, a decision not to award Rangers a penalty for another incident involving Sylla and Dessers during the first-half caused a split on the panel. Sylla appeared to grapple Dessers, who fell to the ground in the box, with a post on the X account for refereeing podcast Behind the Whistles branding the on-pitch decision a "clear error" and questioning why VAR failed to intervene.

A 3:2 majority deemed that the onfield call was incorrect and that a penalty should have been awarded. However, a 3:2 majority adjudged that VAR was correct not to intervene due to the decision not being a clear and obvious error and falling into the category of “a more complex decision with a greater degree of subjectivity”.

The KMI report stated: "The panel discussed this decision at length with the majority (3:2) deeming the onfield decision incorrect, noting that the Dundee defender fouled the Rangers attacker. Two panellists believed that the contact was not sufficient to merit the award of a penalty. The majority (3:2) believed the VAR was correct not to intervene while two panellists believed a penalty should have been awarded after a VAR intervention."

Elsewhere, the on-field decision during Celtic’s 5-2 Premier Sports Cup win over Falkirk to show a late red card to Bairns midfielder Michael McKenna after a high tackle on Anthony Ralston was deemed the correct outcome by all five panellists.

The report stated: "The panel unanimously deemed the on-field decision correct, noting that the Falkirk player made contact with the Celtic player above the knee while leading with his studs."