SPL Chief backs calls to change the appeals process

SPL Chief Executive Neil Doncaster has thrown his weight behind calls to change disciplinary matters in Scottish football and specifically the controversial appeals process.

Last week saw some verbal sparring between John Reid and Gordon Smith as the simmering row between Celtic and the SFA rumbled on.

Celtic have gone public twice this season with their concerns about displinary matters. In October they asked for clarity on the criteria used to bring matters to the attention of the Review Panel and then criticised the appeals process that saw their appeal against a red card for Scott Brown being decided by the match referee, Dougie McDonald.

Detecting the widespread desire to alter the disciplinary system, Doncaster has used his SPL blog to state the case for reform.

"We need an open and transparent appeals system – one that is entirely independent of those making the decisions in the first place," the SPL Chief claims.

"I have huge sympathy for any referee who makes an honest and genuine mistake while the eyes of several hundred thousand critical viewers look on. But by insisting that the referee is part of the appeals process, we make his job even tougher than it already is."

Doncaster appears keen to avoid getting bogged down in the past with long standing grievances and presents an impressive enthusiasm to move things forward without point-scoring.

Whether that sort of attitude has a place in Scottish football remains to be seen with most observors despairing at the slow pace of change and unwillingness to take on fresh approaches.

Stressing the need to remove the match referee from any appeal Doncaster highlights FIFA legislation which allows decisions to reviewed without the referees involvement, in summary he adds: "Because FIFA’s own disciplinary committee is able to do these things in relation to a FIFA match, any other football association around the World can do the same for matches under its own jurisdiction. Hence the reason why the English FA do not force referees to review their own mistakes."

Looking for a solution rather than the cause of the current unrest Doncaster says: "Let’s admit that referees have a tough job and sometimes need help to make the best decisions. Let’s not have an appeals system in place that relies on referees admitting their mistakes.

"In this way we will prevent compounding a genuine error on the field of play with another, this time avoidable error, which adds points or suspensions to an innocent player’s disciplinary record."

Neil Doncaster's SPL blog