07/09/2026
Motherwell have failed in their attempt to overturn a £5,000 fine imposed by the Scottish FA following the fallout from May's dramatic 3-2 defeat to Celtic at Fir Park.
An SFA appeal panel upheld the financial penalty against the club, which was issued over a social media video captioned "as the world of football mocks our game" following John Beaton's late VAR-assisted handball award against Sam Nicholson.
However, former Steelmen midfielder Elliot Watt—who signed for Turkish side Samsunspor earlier this summer—gained partial relief. His initial four-game ban for labelling the incident "the worst VAR decision in history" on X has been cut to a two-match immediate suspension, with two games suspended until the end of next season.
Both charges fell under Rule 72, which prohibits public criticism of match officials that implies bias or incompetence.
Was the SFA right to hold firm on Motherwell's fine, or was the original VAR decision fair game for criticism? Drop your thoughts below! 👇
