Motherwell's £5,000 Fine Upheld Despite VAR Controversy

Motherwell have failed in their bid to have a £5,000 fine reduced for their furious reaction to a last-minute penalty decision against Celtic – but Elliot Watt has seen his suspension cut.

An independent Scottish FA appeal panel upheld the original sanction against the club, imposed after a social media post that tore into referee John Beaton’s VAR-assisted call for handball against Sam Nicholson in May’s 3-2 defeat at Fir Park.

The post featured the line “as the world of football mocks our game” alongside a video montage of the incident, a clear swipe at the decision that allowed Kelechi Iheanacho to score from the spot with the final kick of the match.

The governing body had charged Motherwell with breaching rules that prohibit comments about match officials which suggest “bias or incompetence”. The appeal panel agreed.

Watt, though, received a measure of relief.

The former Motherwell midfielder, now at Samsunspor in Turkey, had originally been hit with a four-game ban for describing the call as the “worst VAR decision in history” on his X account. His punishment has been reduced to a two-match suspension, with a further two games suspended until the end of next season, effectively placing him on notice for any repeat.

Both club and player were cited under the same regulations aimed at protecting referees from personal attacks on their integrity and ability.

The fallout from that dramatic afternoon has rippled well beyond Fir Park. Last week, Rangers manager Derek McInnes also had his sanction trimmed on appeal, his immediate three-game touchline ban cut to two matches.

McInnes, then in charge of Hearts, had branded the same decision “disgusting” in a television interview and claimed “we are up against everybody” – words that drew a swift response from the disciplinary department and underlined how that single VAR call has become a flashpoint in the wider battle over how Scottish football talks about its officials.