Motherwell have failed in their bid to overturn a £5,000 fine imposed by the Scottish FA following the club's reaction to a controversial late penalty award against them in a Scottish Premiership match against Celtic in May, though the punishment handed to former player Elliot Watt has been reduced on appeal.
The fine stemmed from a social media post published by Motherwell shortly after their 3-2 defeat at Fir Park, in which Kelechi Iheanacho scored a stoppage-time penalty to snatch victory for Celtic. The spot-kick was awarded after referee John Beaton, assisted by VAR, ruled that Sam Nicholson had handled the ball. Motherwell's post accompanying a video montage of the incident included the phrase "as the world of football mocks our game," prompting the Scottish FA to charge the club with breaching regulations that prohibit criticism of match officials implying bias or incompetence.
An appeal panel considered the club's request to have the financial penalty reduced but ultimately decided the original fine should stand, confirming that the £5,000 sanction remains in place.
Watt, who was playing for Motherwell at the time of the incident and has since moved to Turkish side Samsunspor, was separately punished for a post on his personal X account describing the penalty award as the "worst VAR decision in history." He was initially hit with a four-match suspension, but the appeal panel agreed to reduce this to two matches, with an additional two-match ban suspended until the conclusion of next season.
Both the club and the player had been charged under the same disciplinary rules, which are designed to prevent public criticism of officials that could be interpreted as accusing them of favoritism or a lack of competence in their decision-making.
The case is the latest in a series of disciplinary actions connected to the same contentious penalty decision. Last week, Derek McInnes, who was managing Hearts at the time of the incident, had his own punishment reduced following an appeal. McInnes had originally been hit with an immediate three-match touchline ban after making pointed comments about the penalty award in a television interview, where he labelled the decision "disgusting" and suggested that officiating bodies were working against clubs outside the Old Firm, stating "we are up against everybody." His ban was subsequently cut to two matches.
The controversy surrounding the penalty award has continued to generate discussion within Scottish football, with the Motherwell case highlighting the ongoing tension between clubs, players, and governing bodies over how officiating decisions—particularly those involving VAR—can be publicly criticized. While the Scottish FA has maintained a firm stance on the Motherwell fine, the reductions granted to both Watt and McInnes suggest some flexibility in how individual punishments are assessed on appeal, even as institutional penalties against clubs remain largely unchanged.
The episode underscores the sensitivity surrounding VAR decisions in Scottish football and the scrutiny clubs face when responding publicly to contentious officiating calls, particularly those involving high-profile fixtures against Celtic and Rangers. With Watt now playing abroad, the practical impact of his reduced suspension will be felt only if he returns to Scottish football, while Motherwell will have to absorb the financial penalty following the panel's decision to uphold it.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport.