Motherwell aren’t happy their player has been hit with a retrospective four-match ban
Callum Slattery and Richard King after the St Mirren star was sent off(Image: SNS Group)
Motherwell have slammed the SFA‘s decision to slap Callum Slattery with a retrospective four-match ban after being found guilty of simulation.
And the club have hit out at the ‘poor quality camera angles’ used to justify the decision.
The flashpoint in question came in their 5-0 win over St Mirren back in February where Richard King was sent off for an off-the-ball incident involving Callum Slattery.
Saints appealed it on the grounds there was insufficient contact and won the case with King’s red card overturned. In addition, the SFA have now handed Slattery a four-match ban for simulation, two of which are suspended.
But Motherwell are raging with that call and have slammed the governing body for implementing a ‘third layer of refereeing’. And they don’t understand how they’ve reached the latest decision despite using the same ‘poor quality camera angles’ which were used by the VAR team originally.
They said in a statement: “We can confirm that following a SFA hearing, Callum Slattery has been handed a four-match suspension, two of which are suspended.
“This suspension is related to the red card incident involving Richard King against St Mirren back in February. The club was informed earlier in the month that Slattery had been issued with a notice of complaint from the Compliance Officer and that the midfielder would be issued with a match suspension, the length of which would be decided by a panel.
“On the night, the fourth official communicated to the match referee about the off-the-ball incident, to which a red card was shown to King. Following a VAR review, the decision was upheld due to the inconclusive evidence from the cameras, which couldn’t confirm the level of contact with Slattery’s face due to poor quality.
“Despite the correct protocol being followed on the night, a third layer of refereeing has now been implemented, and despite using the same poor quality camera angles, the panel has imposed a four-game ban for our player, two of which he is to serve in the next two matches with the other two suspended.
“The club attended the hearing with clear evidence showing that the camera angles from the match in Paisley couldn’t provide anyone with conclusive footage on the amount of contact to Slattery’s face.
“This is the first incident in Scottish football where a player has received a match suspension via retrospective action for inappropriate behaviour, and we question why this incident meets the criteria, yet countless others don’t.
“All clubs have witnessed similar incidents in games which haven’t resulted in retrospective bans; therefore, we will watch and expect consistency going forward so that Callum isn’t treated differently to others. The club will be making no further comment at this time.”
