The VAR decisions that potentially cost Hibs top-six place

A total of 26 decisions since the start of the 2023/24 Scottish Premiership campaign have been deemed incorrect by the governing body's VAR independent review panel (IRP) - a rise of ten since the last meeting of the group in February. 

The IRP comprises former players, managers, and coaches, who are steered by experts on the laws of the game. There have been 1181 VAR reviews carried out in top-flight games this season with 76 resulting in on-field reviews, and a further 36 resulting in decisions being overturned. The remaining majority were silent checks of on-field incidents. 

A statement issued by the SFA read: "Following the conclusion of the pre-split SPFL Premiership fixtures in the 2023/24 season, the VAR Independent Review Panel (IRP) have met to consider Key Match Incidents (KMIs). The panel comprises former players, managers and coaches, guided by experts on the Laws of the Game.

"In the opinion of the IRP, based on incidents requested by the panel or submitted for consideration, 26 KMIs have been adjudged to have reached an incorrect outcome since the start of the season. To date, there have been a total of 1181 VAR reviews conducted in the SPFL Premiership. Whilst the majority of these are silent checks of on-field incidents which require no intervention, 76 have resulted in on-field reviews (0.4 on-field reviews per match) while another 36 have been factual overturns (i.e. offside, inside/outside penalty area).

"90.3% of on-field decisions are considered correct by the IRP, increased to 97.8% when including VAR interventions."

Ten incorrect decisions were communicated to Premiership clubs on Wednesday as part of 'an update on the performance of VAR in Scotland', with two of them affecting Hibs. One was the award of a penalty to Hearts during the 1-1 Edinburgh derby draw at Tynecastle on February 28. Referee Kevin Clancy adjudged Easter Road defender Will Fish to have fouled Kenneth Vargas in the penalty box and although the on-field whistler was called to the video monitor by VAR Alan Muir to review the decision, he - wrongly - stuck to his guns, with the IRP agreeing that while the VAR intervention had been correct, the penalty decision, which led to Lawrence Shankland netting the equaliser for Hearts after Emiliano Marcondes had given Hibs the lead, should have been overturned on account of no foul being committed.

Speaking after the game, Hibs head coach Nick Montgomery said: "I don't want to be talking about VAR again but you've asked me the question so I'll answer it. The VAR is there to call the referee over so he doesn't make a mistake. And when he called him over, I looked it at on the monitor and my opinion is no way it's a penalty - and I don't think probably anybody else thought it was. And then, lo and behold - he's got a clear view of it, he can slow it down, he can watch it - he gives a penalty. It cost us two points. Maybe we'll get another apology this week like we did after Aberdeen. Maybe we won't. But at the end of the day, what we won't get back is any points. We have to cop it on the chin. We have to hope, and trust, that moving forward, maybe we get some calls that have gone against us this season. It seems week in, week out at the minute there have been decisions that have been out of our control."

Marcondes was involved in the second incident to have gone against Hibs, which took place in their 2-1 home defeat by St Johnstone on April 6. The on-loan Bournemouth playmaker challenged for an aerial ball with visiting goalkeeper Dimitar Mitov, and appeared to be fouled by the Bulgarian shot-stopper. On that occasion, VAR David Munro did not recommend that match referee Grant Irvine conduct an on-field review - but the panel found that a penalty should have been awarded to Hibs for a foul on Marcondes by Mitov. 

One incident conspicuous by its omission was Hibs' claim for a penalty during the first half of their 2-2 draw with Aberdeen at Pittodrie on February 17. Dons defender Nicky Devlin appeared to handle the ball from a Jordan Obita cross but on-field referee David Munro didn't award a spot-kick and was advised by VAR David Dickinson that he had made the correct decision, meaning Munro did not look again at the incident as part of an on-field review.

Montgomery said after that incident: "I thought we should have had a penalty in the first half for handball. We’ve had a lot of those given against us, but unfortunately that one didn’t go for us. I don't want to get drawn into VAR but we have a screen where we can slow it down and have a look. There were two calls for handball in the same incident and you think you might get one of them, but his arm's away from his body and it's hit [Devlin's] arm, but I'm told it's not a penalty and it's been cleared. We just have to move on."

Hibs claimed two days after the match that they had received an apology from the Scottish FA for the mistake. "The club held meetings with the Scottish FA at Hampden earlier today (19 February) to challenge the decision. The governing body outlined that the Referee Department agreed that the incident should have been referred by VAR for On-Field Review, and therefore an error was made," an official statement read.  However, Hampden chiefs later disputed that an apology had been made. 

Hibs have not responded to the latest findings and are unlikely to comment, but club chiefs have been consistent in challenging the performance of officials this season.