The row between the pundit, the SFA and its match officials continues to rumble on and there’s no sign of any let-up
Michael Stewart on BBC Sportsound
Top Scottish refs have hit out at Michael Stewart over the perceived continual attack on them.
The football pundit was last week banned by the SFA from Hampden for his criticism of officials. The row culminated with the governing body taking executive action, having reached the end of its tether with him, months after he had issued a public apology to the SFA over on-air claims they tried to “cover up” a VAR decision in St Mirren’s match against Hibs.
The former Hearts and Hibs star failed to appear on air in Sunday’s Scottish Cup semi-final at the National Stadium as Martin O’Neill’s side smashed St Mirren – with host Premier Sports Emma Dodds revealing the pundit had been banned from ‘the footprint of Hampden.
But Stewart went undercover and continued to taunt SFA chiefs as he tweeted a video of himself in a production truck within the Hampden carpark before kick-off for Sunday’s semi and the one between Falkirk and Dnfermline the day before.
Now the Scottish Senior Football Referees’ Association has publicly waded into the row, claiming the observer has gone too far.
In a statement, the SSFRA wrote: “The SSFRA notes the action taken by the Scottish FA in respect of Michael Stewart.
“While this is ultimately a matter for the Scottish FA, we are aligned in the view that his commentary this season has, at times, extended well beyond fair and legitimate criticism, including personal remarks that call into question the integrity of our members.
“We fully recognise and respect the important role that informed and constructive criticism play in the game. We do not seek to stifle legitimate comment or differing viewpoints.
“However, we believe there is a clear distinction between balanced, evidence-based critique and commentary that appears disproportionate, agenda driven, or personal in nature.
“We believe it is important this distinction is maintained to protect both the professionalism of match officials and the integrity of the wider game.
“There have also been occasions where exclusive access to VAR communications has, in our view, been used inappropriately, to deliberately create a narrative to undermine confidence in refereeing standards.
“As a group, we have actively participated in initiatives to strengthen engagement with key stakeholders across Scottish football, and we remain fully committed to continuing this constructive dialogue in a positive and collaborative manner going forward.”
