VAR official Lee Mason has quite the PGMOL and will no longer participate in Premier League matches.
The 51-year-old has departed by mutual consent after facing fierce criticism for a mistake during Arsenal's 1-1 draw with Brentford last weekend. The PGMOL confirmed the decision in a statement on Twitter.
During the match, Ivan Toney equalised for the Bees, but on a subsequent VAR review, Mason forgot to draw a line to check if Christian Norgaard was offside. The incident lead to an apology from the PGMOL, which Gunners boss Mikel Arteta reluctantly accepted but then claimed that he would only be satisfied if Arsenal were given two points back.
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Mason's exit comes in the wake of an embarrassing weekend for the PGMOL, after Brighton also had a goal disallowed incorrectly against Crystal Palace. It led to PGMOL boss Howard Webb summoning all officials to Stockley Park for an emergency meeting.
Mason spent 15 years as a referee in the Premier League before retiring to join the VAR team full-time at the end of the 2020-21 season. During his career, which started in 1998, he has officiated over 500 professional matches, progressing from the Football League to the top flight.
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