Rangers say they have “contacted the Scottish FA to express serious concerns and ask several questions” after the two VAR officials at the League Cup final were reinstated for December fixtures.
SFA head of referee operations Willie Collum had said Frank Connor and Alan Muir made a ”really, really poor” and “unacceptable” decision not to award Rangers a penalty against Celtic in the final on 15 December, with Celtic winning the match on penalties after a 3-3 draw.
The incident in question was a pull by Liam Scales on Vaclav Cerny, when a free-kick was awarded.
Neither Connor nor Muir featured in Friday, Saturday or Sunday’s top-flight games.
However, Connor will be one of the assistant referees for Kilmarnock v Aberdeen on Thursday and Celtic v St Johnstone on Sunday while Muir will be on VAR duty for St Mirren v Dundee on Sunday.
“We also note one of the officials has been appointed to an SPFL Premiership match involving the club that benefitted from the error,” Rangers said in a statement.
“The Scottish FA’s actions raise questions about their commitment to improving officiating standards and fostering accountability.
“While Rangers FC fully respects the independence of officiating appointments and the need for referees to operate without interference, how the Scottish FA handles such high-profile failures directly affects its credibility and public confidence.
“The decision to reinstate the officials so quickly, and in particular for a fixture involving the club which benefited from the mistake in question, has drawn widespread media scrutiny on the officiating failure and officials concerned. This was both predictable and avoidable, and contradicts any stated duty of care from the Scottish FA towards their match officials.”
Rangers also said “mistakes do happen in football” but added: “How they are addressed matters enormously.
“We would urge the Scottish FA to demonstrate its desire to improve the quality and consistency of officiating and to do so in a transparent manner.
“We are not seeking to challenge the authority of the Scottish FA or the integrity or independence of match officials, but to encourage improved standards and accountability. This is not about influence. It is about good governance.
“Rangers FC expects tangible steps to be taken and remains committed to holding the Scottish FA accountable in the interests of the game.”
The SFA have been approached for a response.
