Barry Ferguson has expressed his dismay at the decision not to award Rangers a penalty during the recent Old Firm derby, a particularly contentious incident that left fans and players alike deeply polarized.

The controversy stemmed from Alistair Johnston’s apparent handball inside Celtic’s penalty area as he intercepted the ball from Abdallah Sima. Although the on-field officials missed the incident in real-time, the VAR review by Willie Collum initially created a pause in the play before instructing the referee to continue the game without awarding a penalty.

Subsequently, it was later clarified that the decision was not overturned due to Sima’s offside position at the time of the incident, prompting discussions and discord between Rangers and the Scottish FA regarding the sequence of events.

Ferguson, in his Daily Record column, candidly conveyed his frustration at the decision, asserting that the breakdown in the VAR process during the crucial 30-minute period following the incident has reignited tumult within the Scottish footballing landscape. He empathized with his former club’s demand for transparency and accountability in the VAR procedures, highlighting the need for openness and clarity in such pivotal moments of the game.

While acknowledging the challenges faced by on-field officials, Ferguson criticized the handling of the situation, particularly the lack of intervention by the VAR team following the clear handball incident. He stressed the importance of swift and decisive action through VAR, underscoring that the technology should effectively address such pivotal moments in matches, avoiding prolonged debates and conjecture.

Ferguson further emphasized the need for a seamless and efficient implementation of VAR, advocating for a system where critical decisions are promptly reviewed and resolved to prevent prolonged controversies and discussions after the fact. He lamented the lingering uncertainty surrounding the incident and its aftermath, pointing out the potential for a resolved decision through streamlined VAR intervention to quell subsequent debates.

Summing up his sentiments, Ferguson vividly portrayed the tense and polarizing atmosphere during the incident, including his own visceral reaction, underscoring the need for clarity, decisiveness, and effectiveness in the VAR process to ensure fair and definitive rulings in high-stakes matches, all while maintaining empathy for the challenging nature of officiating in such intense and fast-paced encounters.