Michael Stewart has criticized the Scottish Football Association for setting what he calls a dangerous precedent after being barred from the national stadium. The media pundit was pulled from his Premier Sports duties for Sunday’s Scottish Cup semi-final between Celtic and St Mirren when the governing body refused him entry to the grounds.
Details of the Exclusion
The former Hearts and Hibernian midfielder had previously worked on Saturday’s semi-final from a broadcast truck in the car park. However, the SFA escalated their stance on Sunday by declaring him unwelcome within the entire Hampden footprint.
Premier Sports expressed significant disappointment with the decision, noting that they are a broadcast partner of the association. In contrast, the Scottish Senior Football Referees’ Association supported the move. They argued that Stewart’s commentary had crossed the line from fair criticism to questioning their basic integrity.
Stewart’s Response
Speaking on a Premier Sports podcast, Stewart described the situation as farcical and petty. He questioned the nature of an institution that bans individuals simply for expressing opinions that officials find disagreeable.
”I take a lot of pride in trying to be straight and honest,” Stewart remarked. He added that while he does not wish to play the victim, he feels he is being punished for refusing to curry favor with those in power.
A Lack of Communication
Stewart also highlighted a long-term breakdown in dialogue between the broadcasters and the governing body. He claimed that both he and Premier Sports have spent six months requesting better communication from the SFA to no avail.
He concluded by stating that the SFA’s current position is untenable. According to Stewart, refusing to communicate while simultaneously issuing bans is not how professional organizations should operate.