SFA panel deliver verdict on Rangers penalty incidents against Hibs and Dundee plus Diomande red card debate

Rangers manager Philippe Clement's claims that Hibs were wrongly awarded a penalty in the 3-3 draw at Easter Road have caused a split among the Scottish FA's Key Match Incident panel.

Clement heavily criticised the decision to penalise Rangers playmaker Ianis Hagi for a foul on Hibs midfielder Josh Campbell in the box, believing that the incident was "just a collision" with his own player the one who had his legs taken from him.

Referee John Beaton pointed to the spot and the VAR officials saw no reason to interfere allowing Martin Boyle to step and level the match at 2-2 after Hamza Igamane had put Rangers two goals in front with a first-half double. Rangers regained the lead as Igamane completed his hat-trick only for the Ibrox side to concede again to a Rocky Bushiri equaliser.

Hibs were awarded a penalty after Rangers forward Ianis Hagi clashed with Josh Campbell in the box. | SNS Group

Clement insisted afterwards that the penalty award was a "game-decisive incident", adding: "We will see what the panel and Willie Collum [SFA head of refereeing] will say about that. I'm curious, because if these things will be a penalty, then there will be a lot of penalties this season and the year to come in Scotland, I think.”

However, the majority of the KMI panel - made up of five people who work within Scottish football - have sided with the match officials by ruling that the correct outcome was reached, with only two panellists finding favour with Clement’s version of events. However, there was unanimous agreement on the VAR decision not to send Beaton to monitor.

The report stated: "The majority (3:2) of the panel deemed the on-field decision of penalty correct. Two panellists believed that a penalty should not have been awarded. The panel unanimously agreed VAR was correct not to intervene, as this was a subjective decision."

The big screen at Easter Road shows there is no VAR intervention for a red card after Rangers midfielder Mohamed Diomande fouled Hibs winger Chris Cadden. (Photo by Ross Parker / SNS Group) | SNS Group

Rangers were also at the centre of a red card debate following Mohamed Diomande's late first half challenge on Hibs winger Nicky Cadden which referee Beaton deemed to be worth of a booking, and VAR deciding there was no reason to upgrade the decision to a red. All five KMI panelists were in agreement that the tackle did not merit a sending off, the report simply stating: "The on-field decision was unanimously supported.

The was more penalty controversary involving Rangers in their 1-1 draw at Dens Park on Thursday night, this time in their own box as debutant defender Clinton Nsalia appeared to step on the boot of Dundee striker Simon Murray while challenging for a ball in the 33rd minute.

Dundee led at the time through Oluwaseun Adewumi’s early strike but Rangers raced straight up the other end to score an equaliser through Vaclav Cerny which was only awarded after a VAR check for a Dundee penalty found no case to answer. The KMI panel were in agreement, stating: "The on-field decision was unanimously supported."

In total, the KMI panel reviewed nine incidents from the matches which took place on January 5, 8 and 9 and found that no incorrect outcomes were reached.