Fresh twist in Scottish football VAR controversy as KMI panel rule on Rangers, Hibs and Hearts decisions

The Scottish FA's Key Match Incident panel has failed to back the decision to overturn the red card shown Motherwell defender Kofi Balmer against Kilmarnock last weekend.

Balmer saw his red card for serious foul play rescinded earlier this week – and the appeal panel convened by the SFA did not even view the incident worthy of a yellow card.

The defender was sent off in the 26th minute of Saturday’s 2-0 William Hill Premiership defeat at Rugby Park after catching Fraser Murray on the thigh as he followed through on a clearance. Referee Matthew MacDermid issued the punishment after being alerted by video assistant Andrew Dallas.

Referee Matthew MacDermaid checks the VAR monitor before sending off Motherwell's Kofi Balmer during the match against Kilmarnock at Rugby Park. (Photo by Craig Foy / SNS Group) | SNS Group

Motherwell demanded "significant improvement" in VAR and expressed concerns over the number of incorrect decisions which have gone against them this season after the red card was wiped and the suspension lifted, leaving the centre-back free to face Hearts in a vital top six clash this weekend.

However, in a controversial move, the KMI panel, which features five individuals from within Scottish football circles, has advised that the original red card decision was correct.

The report stated: "The panel discussed this decision at length with the majority (3:2) of the panel deeming the on-field decision of no serious foul play to be incorrect. Three members of the panel felt that the VAR intervention was correct and the right decision was reached, resulting in a red card for serious foul play."

The KMI panel also assessed the red card shown to Hearts striker James Wilson in his side's 1-0 defeat to Dundee United at Tynecastle Park. The 18-year-old caught United's Luca Stephenson on the shin with his boot as he lunged into a tackle in the 38th minute while the match was still goalless. The decision caused uproar among the Hearts fans at the time, however, the KMI panel unanimously agreed with the VAR decision not to intervene after referee Nick Walsh sent the youngster for an early shower.

Hearts striker Jamie Wilson is shown a red card in the 1-0 defeat to Dundee United. | SNS Group

Five incidents were also analysed from Rangers' 2-0 defeat by Hibs at Ibrox. The VAR decision not to recommend a red card for Hibs defender Rocky Bushiri for a challenge on Cyriel Dessers in the 46th minute was unanimously backed, as was the call to overturn the assistant referee's offside flag which had initially denied Martin Boyle a Hibs second.

Three penalty incidents were also analysed but the panel found that there was no case to answer for a James Tavernier handball, Lewis Miller handball, and a Miller challenge on Dessers.

In total the KMI panel reviewed nine incidents from the weekend of April 5 and 6 and found that no incorrect outcomes were reached.