Motherwell's Fine Upheld Despite VAR Controversy

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

The Scottish FA’s appeal panel backed the original punishment handed to the Fir Park club over a social media post aimed at referee John Beaton’s VAR-assisted call in May, when Sam Nicholson was penalised for handball in stoppage time.

The post, issued in the aftermath of a chaotic 3-2 defeat, carried the line “as the world of football mocks our game” alongside a video montage of the incident that led to the decisive spot-kick. It was a direct swipe at the decision and, by extension, the officials involved.

Kelechi Iheanacho buried the penalty with the final kick, sealing a Celtic win and igniting a storm that has rumbled on long after the final whistle.

Motherwell were charged with breaching rules that outlaw public criticism of match officials which implies “bias or incompetence”. The appeal panel saw no reason to soften that stance, leaving the club to absorb the full financial hit.

Watt, though, leaves the process with a partial reprieve.

The former Motherwell midfielder, now at Samsunspor in Turkey, was originally hit with a four-match suspension for his own reaction on social media, where he branded the call the “worst VAR decision in history” on X. His punishment has been trimmed to a two-game ban, with a further two matches suspended until the end of next season.

The line from the authorities is clear: emotion is understood, public condemnation of referees is not.

This is not an isolated flashpoint either. The same incident has already dragged another high-profile figure into disciplinary trouble. Rangers manager Derek McInnes – Hearts boss at the time – had his touchline ban reduced last week after appealing against a three-game suspension for his comments on the decision.

McInnes had described the call as “disgusting” in a television interview and claimed “we are up against everybody”, language that immediately put him on a collision course with the rulebook.

One penalty, one VAR check, and one late goal at Fir Park have now left a trail of fines, bans and formal reprimands across three clubs and multiple personalities. The football has long since stopped. The fallout clearly has not.