The Scottish Football Association
has promised to do “everything possible” to avoid a strike by
referees next weekend.
The country’s top match officials
are set to take action after claiming recent criticism could lead to one being
physically attacked.
Category one officials are
understood to have voted to refuse appointments for next weekend’s fixtures
following a meeting.
The president of the SFA described
the decision as a “sad day for Scottish football”.
Referees have become increasingly
concerned for their safety, and that of their families, in the wake of
criticism from a number of quarters.
Match officials have dominated the
Scottish football agenda since Dougie McDonald rescinded a penalty he initially
awarded to Celtic during their 2-1 Clydesdale Bank Premier League victory at
Dundee United on 17 October.
SFA chief executive Stewart Regan,
who launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding McDonald’s decision,
later announced plans to launch a “respect” campaign towards match
officials.
But former SPL referee Stuart
Dougal claimed that match officials had overwhelmingly supported the idea to
refuse work.
“What’s got to referees is the
level of abuse, the intensity of the criticism and of the scrutiny”, Mr. Dougal
said.
“A number of referees have
aired concern about safety and that is something they have decided they cannot
take any longer.
McDonald was warned by the SFA
referee’s committee after he admitted lying to his superiors and Celtic manager
Neil Lennon over his U-turn.
McDonald initially claimed
assistant Steven Craven had alerted him to his error when in fact he had
immediately realised his mistake.
Craven resigned from the top-flight
game days after the match amid accusations of bullying against his SFA bosses,
allegations strenuously denied by Hugh Dallas, the head of referee development.
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