The SFA have been blasted for their plan to introduce VAR in the Scottish Cup at Premiership grounds only.
The fourth round of the domestic cup gets underway next month, with some big names ties including Celtic vs Greenock Morton and holders Rangers facing off with St Johnstone. There is also a blockbuster Edinburgh derby to enjoy, while Aberdeen travel to Darvel.
And some teams will be afforded the use of VAR which has made its way in to Scottish top flight football in recent months, but according to Scottish Express Sport, the technology will be used only at the homes of top flight clubs which are set to be covered live on television.
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That means that the vast majority of the rest will not, unless they choose to pay for VAR, something that former referees have taken the association to task over. It could result in the likes of Dundee United and Kilmarnock having to shell out for VAR in their ties against lower league opposition.
Former top flight referee Steve Conroy told the Get Involved Referee podcast: “It makes absolutely no sense. You wonder who signs these things off. It’s madness. It’s the application of the universal laws of the game. They should be applied in Darvel in the same way that they are applied at Celtic Park, for example, but it seems that’s not happening.
“So the exact same incident could be called one way in Darvel and another way at Celtic Park because you have recall at Celtic Park. It’s not fair, it’s not equitable and it leaves a really nasty taste in the mouth. If Darvel can’t use it then Celtic shouldn’t use it. You have to referee games at all games in the same way.”
Fellow former referee Des Roache said: “I think it’s ridiculous. It’s Scotland’s premier cup competition but there are going to be different parameters and different applications of the law.
“The Premiership teams can have it but the lower league teams can’t so that means a different set of circumstances in the same competition. That’s unfair.”
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