SFA: penalty in favor of Celtic correct, Hearts unfairly denied point

The head of the Scottish Football Association's refereeing department acknowledged that the penalty awarded to Celtic in the match against Motherwell was justified. However, Hearts in the same match at Fir Park stadium were unfairly denied a penalty kick.

The Scottish Football Association (SFA) has issued an official statement regarding controversial refereeing decisions made at Fir Park in Motherwell. According to the head of the SFA's refereeing department, the late penalty awarded to Celtic was given correctly, whereas Hearts in the same match were unjustifiably denied a similar decision in their favor.

The matter concerns two key incidents that sparked lively discussion among fans and specialists. The federation's official position confirms that the referee made an error by not awarding a penalty to Hearts, while a similar moment in favor of Celtic was judged correctly.

Such statements from the SFA are part of a transparency policy in Scottish football aimed at increasing confidence in the refereeing body. Reviewing errors and publicly acknowledging incorrect decisions help clubs and fans understand the logic behind referees' work and contributes to the development of professional refereeing in the country.