Dundee United Withdraws from SFA’s Key Match Incident Panel, Citing Concerns Over Expertise
Dundee United have officially withdrawn from the Scottish Football Association’s (SFA) Key Match Incident (KMI) panel, raising concerns over what they describe as an inadequate level of expertise among its members.
The Tannadice club has also called for significant reforms to VAR in Scottish football, arguing that the technology has led to “inconsistent interpretations of the laws of the game” since its introduction to the Premiership over two years ago.
United’s frustration peaked following their 1-0 defeat to Kilmarnock at Rugby Park, where Marley Watkins’ challenge on goalkeeper Jack Walton was allowed to stand, resulting in the match-winning goal. This decision contrasted sharply with an earlier incident involving Motherwell’s Tony Watt and Rangers goalkeeper Jack Butland in December, where a similar challenge was overturned after a VAR review.
The KMI panel operates independently and consists of five rotating members from within Scottish football, including representatives from top-flight clubs. It was established this season by head of refereeing Willie Collum to review key VAR decisions from each round of fixtures and provide assessments on whether the correct calls were made.
However, Dundee United claim that several panel members “lack the necessary expertise in the laws of the game,” prompting the club to withdraw its participation.
In a strongly worded statement, the club said:
“Dundee United FC has formally notified the Scottish FA of our decision to withdraw from the KMI panel. This follows ongoing discussions with the SFA Refereeing Department, during which we raised concerns about the panel’s purpose, effectiveness, and influence on Scottish football.”
“We have identified cases where decisions made on the field—supported by VAR and backed by the SFA Refereeing Department—were later contradicted by the KMI panel. These inconsistencies often stem from opinions provided by panel members who, in many instances, do not possess significant expertise in the laws of the game.”
The club also criticized the media’s role in amplifying controversial decisions, arguing that it places undue pressure on referees and could potentially influence future match outcomes.
“While we acknowledge that referees will make mistakes and that contentious decisions are part of football, we believe VAR has exposed deeper inconsistencies in officiating. We are therefore calling for a more robust system to review refereeing decisions, or substantial changes to the current panel.”
Dundee United stressed that their decision is not solely for their benefit but aims to improve officiating standards across Scottish football. They intend to engage with both the SFA and SPFL, encouraging collaboration among Premiership clubs to support referees and enhance VAR protocols.
