Celtic Denied on Flag Day – VAR’s “Factual Decision” Explained on Review Show

The first month of the Premiership season has been relatively quiet for Celtic when it comes to VAR controversy, but one key incident from the opening day featured in the latest episode of the VAR show.

Celtic captain Callum McGregor thought he had put his side ahead against St Mirren with a strike from outside the box, only to see the goal chalked off after a VAR check for handball.

Replays showed the ball ricocheting between McGregor and Buddies midfielder Mark O’Hara before clipping the Celtic skipper’s arm. The crucial factor was that the final touch came below the “t-shirt line,” meaning the goal was automatically ruled out.

Head of referees Willie Collum explained the decision on Sky Sports, stressing that while the handball was accidental, the law is clear when it leads directly to a goal.

“So not for one second here are we saying this is a deliberate handball,” Collum said. “You would even argue in law it’s not a punishable handball — only in the circumstance that it leads immediately to a goal. That’s the only reason this is punished.

“If the Celtic player here, this exact same playing action, takes place and he passes a ball to the side and somebody else scores, the goal is given. This is a factual decision based on the interpretation of the law that if a ball strikes any part of the arm, which is a punishable part of the arm, in other words below the t-shirt line, and a goal comes then it should be disallowed.”

The rule was followed correctly here, and despite McGregor probably feeling he was hard donw by, it was the correct decision.

Luckily for Celtic, that VAR intervention didn’t spoil flag day. Luke McCowan stepped up a few minutes later and slotted one in to win Celtic the match and get the season off to a winning start.

Hopefully, the little VAR drama continues for the rest of the season.