Referee Placed Under Police Protection After Controversial Iheanacho Penalty Decision

Referee Placed Under Police Protection After Controversial Iheanacho Penalty Decision

By Our Reporter 

Celtic FC’s dramatic late victory over Motherwell FC has sparked major controversy in Scotland, with referee John Beaton reportedly placed under police protection after his personal information was leaked online, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

The Scottish Football Association confirmed the development on Friday following intense criticism of Beaton’s decision to award Celtic a late penalty during the Scottish Premiership clash.

The incident occurred deep into stoppage time when Beaton, after consulting VAR, penalised Motherwell defender Sam Nicholson for handball inside the area. The decision proved decisive as Kelechi Iheanacho converted from the spot to secure a dramatic 3-2 victory for Celtic.

The result moved Celtic within one point of league leaders Heart of Midlothian FC ahead of the final day of the season.

In the aftermath of the match, Beaton became the subject of online abuse, with his personal details reportedly circulated on social media platforms. According to the Scottish FA, police were subsequently deployed to ensure the safety of the referee and his family.

“John Beaton and his family spent last night at home under police surveillance following a leak of personal details online,” the Scottish FA said in a statement.

Police Scotland later confirmed that a 19-year-old man had been arrested and charged in connection with the incident.

The Scottish FA strongly condemned the harassment directed at the match official, describing the behaviour as unacceptable and dangerous. The governing body also criticised what it called inflammatory reactions from sections of the media and social media users following the controversial decision.

According to the association, while refereeing mistakes and subjective VAR calls remain part of football, threats and intimidation against officials cannot be justified under any circumstances.

“What happened yesterday is not an isolated incident,” the statement added. “There are many examples of match officials being placed in harmful situations.”

The controversy has once again reignited debate over the use of VAR and the treatment of referees in Scottish football, with attention now turning to Celtic’s decisive final-day encounter against Hearts.