'Misapplied the rules' precedent that Patrick Stewart could pursue for Rangers cup final replay
Yesterday at 08:00 AM
At 3-3 in a cup final, in extra-time, officials with the help of VAR need to make sure that game changing decisions are correct and, in Rangers vs Celtic, they clearly weren't.
Every ex-referee has confirmed the mistake and the SFA have admitted negligence, which gives Patrick Stewart grounds to take the matter further.
An apology is too late, but could the new Rangers CEO follow the example set by Belgian side Genk when they took a costly VAR blunder all the way to the courts?
Could Rangers learn from Belgian VAR error replay?
With the score at 2-1, Genk were punished for encroachment when there were Anderlecht players inside the box too, the correct call should have been a retake – ironically, with Kasper Schmeichel in goals.
Genk appealed, and were successful:
"The disciplinary council for professional football has ruled that the Anderlecht – KRC Genk match at the end of last year should be replayed," read a statement from the disciplinary council for professional football in Belgium in January 2024.
"The Council then followed Genk's argument that the match officials misapplied the rules at the penalty phase in question."
Genk then won the replay, which was the difference between making the play-offs for European football and missing out.
What options do Rangers have?
The problem for Rangers is that there is no compensation for VAR officials Alan Muir and Frank Connor making such a big mistake.
The worrying thing is, if they can't see why it was a penalty, should they really be working at the level that they are at?
It was the easiest decision of the day to inform John Beaton that the foul on Vaclav Cerny was inside the box.
Stewart has been a volunteer with the Court of Arbitration for Sport for several years, Rangers couldn't have someone better to consider what action could be taken.
A replay from the moment the penalty should have been awarded might sound far-fetched, but it has happened before, in 2015 with England women's Under-19 team.
Rangers might not get it, but they should push the replay narrative as far as they can and question the competence of those who potentially cost Philippe Clement is second trophy as manager.
Being realistic, officials in Scotland will never allow such an intervention, unless they want to accommodate replaying every Celtic game in which they drop points or don't get their way in the future that is.
