During a free-kick play, Dundee United’s Emmanuel Adegboyega went down in the box, claiming that Hibernian’s Mykola Kuharevich had pulled his shirt. Referee Colin Steven initially ruled no foul. However, VAR official Greg Aitken recommended an on-field review, leading Steven to overturn his decision and award the penalty. The call resulted in a second yellow card for Kuharevich and his ejection from the game, followed by Sam Dalby converting the penalty to secure a draw for Dundee United.

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KMI Panel's Findings

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The KMI review panel, which consists of five members from Scottish football, reviewed the incident:

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• - Three of the five panel members concluded that VAR should not have intervened, as they believed the foul was not a clear and obvious error.
• - The decision to show a second yellow card to Kuharevich intensified the controversy, as the lengthy four-minute VAR review added to the game’s tension and scrutiny of the technology’s use in such situations.

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Additional VAR Decisions Reviewed

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Beyond this specific case, the panel assessed 23 VAR interventions from recent Scottish Premiership and League Cup matches. Other VAR decisions were deemed correct, including:

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• - St Johnstone’s Goal Against St Mirren: Initially disallowed, VAR rightfully awarded the goal upon review.
• - Aberdeen’s Penalty Against Rangers: VAR confirmed the penalty was warranted.
• - St Johnstone and St Mirren Penalties: Both penalties awarded to St Johnstone and St Mirren after VAR reviews were validated as accurate calls.

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Ref Watch Commentary

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The incident has prompted experts and fans alike to question the efficiency of VAR, particularly in calls that seem less clear-cut. A prominent figure from Ref Watch remarked on the unusual length of time taken for the review, emphasizing that such decisions should be quicker and focused only on clear and obvious errors.

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Key Points

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• - The Scottish FA panel critiqued the penalty decision, finding VAR intervention unwarranted.
• - Additional decisions reviewed by the panel generally upheld VAR’s role in accurate calls.
• - The Dundee United penalty incident underscores ongoing debates about VAR’s role and timing in Scottish football.