Celtic fc force to Issue urgent Statement after referee Don Robertson explaination surfaced online and went viral in record to referee and VAR error against Heart Fc
*Celtic forced to issue urgent statement after referee Don Robertson explanation surfaces online and goes viral over VAR errors against Hearts*
Celtic FC released an urgent statement on Monday after audio of referee Don Robertson explaining VAR decisions from the Celtic vs Hearts title decider went viral on social media. The clip, which appeared to show Robertson discussing why two penalty calls were missed, sparked fury from Hearts fans and forced Celtic to address growing claims of “referee bias”.
*What surfaced online*
The footage, first posted late Sunday night, appears to be a clip from an internal SFA VAR review session. In it, a voice identified as Robertson can be heard saying the penalty appeals for Hearts in the 67th and 98th minute “did not meet the threshold for clear and obvious error”.
The clip was shared over 400,000 times in 12 hours with the caption “referee admits it”. Hearts fans pointed to it as proof that mistakes were acknowledged but not corrected in real time.
One incident involved Nicolas Kühn’s challenge on Alex Cochrane in the box. The second was Cameron Carter-Vickers’ challenge on Lawrence Shankland in stoppage time. Referee Nick Walsh waved both away, and VAR did not intervene.
*Celtic’s statement*
Celtic moved quickly to distance themselves from the controversy. The club’s statement read:
“Celtic FC notes the circulation of audio purporting to be from an SFA review session involving match officials. The club was not party to this recording, did not authorize its release, and does not endorse speculation around its authenticity or context.
“We respect the integrity of the match officials and the VAR process. Our focus remains on football and supporting our players and supporters after a hard-fought title win.”
The statement avoided commenting on the content of the audio, but sources at Parkhead said the club was concerned the clip was being used to suggest Celtic benefited from “behind-the-scenes influence”.
*SFA and Robertson’s position*
The SFA has not confirmed the audio’s authenticity but said it is investigating the leak. Robertson himself has not spoken publicly.
Under SFA protocol, referees and VAR officials are not permitted to discuss live decisions outside formal review processes. Unauthorized release of such material is a breach of confidentiality.
Hearts have asked the SFA for full disclosure of the review panel’s findings. Manager Derek McInnes said after the game: “We get apologies on Monday. That doesn’t give us points.”
*Why this hit a nerve*
The audio went viral because it touched on two of Scottish football’s biggest frustrations: VAR inconsistency and the perception that Celtic get decisions.
Dermot Gallagher told Sky Sports days earlier that a key replay angle of Alistair Johnston’s challenge was “never available during the game”, meaning VAR could not recommend a review. That explanation did little to calm Hearts fans, who feel they have been on the wrong end of multiple key calls this season.
The Independent VAR Review Panel has already ruled that both penalties awarded to Celtic and Hearts in a previous 2-0 Hearts win were incorrect. The panel flagged 26 VAR errors this season, adding to the sense that the system isn’t working. 9d22
*What happens next*
The SFA is expected to publish its findings on the Hearts vs Celtic decisions within the week. If the panel rules the two non-penalties were errors, Hearts will have official confirmation but no recourse on the result.
Celtic’s priority is to shut down the narrative before their Scottish Cup final against Dunfermline. The club knows that even a hint of “referee conspiracy” can overshadow a title win.
For Hearts, the viral clip has become evidence of what they feel has been a pattern all season. For Celtic, it’s an unwanted distraction they’re trying to kill quickly.
As one Celtic source put it: “We won the league on the pitch. We don’t need audio clips to change that.”
