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Referee under police surveillance after handball call rocks Scottish soccer title race

Referee under police surveillance after handball call rocks Scottish soccer title race | iNFOnews.ca
Referee John Beaton, center, speaks to Celtic's Kelechi Iheanacho before going to the VAR monitor and awarding a penalty to Celtic during the Scottish Premiership soccer match between Motherwell and Celtic, Wednesday May 13, 2026, in Motherwell, Scotland. (Robert Perry/PA via AP)

GLASGOW, Scotland (AP) — A referee has required police surveillance to protect his safety after a controversial call which impacted the Scottish soccer title race.

The Scottish Football Association said on Friday the police intervention was the “inevitable consequence of the heightening criticism, intolerance and scapegoating” aimed at referees.

John Beaton’s decision to award a penalty for handball in Celtic’s favor against Motherwell on Wednesday allowed Celtic to clinch a last-gasp win and cut the gap on Premiership leader Hearts to one point.

“John Beaton and his family spent last night at home under police surveillance following a leak of personal details online,” the SFA said in a statement.

“The Scottish FA condemns in the strongest possible terms attempts to compromise the safety of match officials. Such vigilantism, motivated by decisions perceived to be right or wrong on a field of play, is a scourge on our national game and we are grateful to Police Scotland for their swift intervention.”

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

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