Chris Sutton’s statement praising Celtic player Matt O’Riley for his bold ‘Panenka’ penalty kick during an Old Firm match has been given the green light by TV watchdog Ofcom. The former Celtic striker found himself at the center of controversy when he commended O’Riley for his audacious penalty kick in the 3-3 draw against Rangers on April 7.

Sutton, 51, serving as a co-commentator for Sky Sports during the high-stakes league showdown at Ibrox, lauded O’Riley’s nerve in executing the Panenka penalty. He remarked, “What a nerve from Matt O’Riley. Panenka. That is courageous. Celtic have not got a good record from penalties this season but you’ve got to have some courage to do that in this fixture.”

Following the live broadcast of Sutton’s comment, three individuals raised complaints to Ofcom, alleging that it was inappropriate and breached accepted broadcasting standards. Upon reviewing the footage, Ofcom concluded that the remark did not warrant a formal investigation into Sky Sports under the Broadcasting Code.

After Sutton’s remark, a man shared on social media that he had battled testicular cancer and questioned if he could take legal action against Sutton for his comment. Additionally, another user called for Sutton to be canceled, alleging that his statement had caused offense.

O’Riley’s penalty propelled Celtic to a 2-0 lead before Rangers staged a comeback in the electrifying match, drawing a record audience of over 1.4 million viewers on Sky Sports.

An Ofcom spokesperson stated, “The brief comment made during the commentary of the game did not raise concerns necessitating an investigation under our regulations.”