THERE are reports indicating SFA bosses could remove Sky Sports’ VAR access in the fall-out of sensational claims made by Andy Walker.
The former Celtic striker and other match reporters at the satellite giants are afforded the privilege of listening in to the feed from the VAR centre at Clydesdale House – but NOT what the referee says in response to his technical assistant.
And the media pundit has insisted he overheard a VAR official telling a referee “the easiest way out” of a call was “if it was offside”.
Walker refused to identify the match officials in the incident, but admitted he had been concerned at side of the dialogue he picked up.
The ex-Scotland international forward’s comments have angered the Scottish Football Referees Association, who are now pushing to have Sky’s VAR privileges revoked, according to a report in the Daily Record.
That will almost certainly lead to SFA chief executive Ian Maxwell having talks with the broadcaster.
Walker told NewsSlotsKlosh: “Working with Sky, I have the option of listening to VAR.
“To be absolutely clear I hear the video assistant referee – not the referee on the pitch.
“I have a concern. I won’t mention any names and I won’t name the teams involved, but there was an instance where a couple of things happened in the space of a second or two.
“And I heard the VAR say ‘the easiest way out of this, is if it’s offside’.
“That, to me, is really poor language. There should be no idea that we get an easy way out.
“You have to look at what’s happening on the pitch and apply the laws of the game – don’t look for the easy way out.”
