NOTTINGHAM FOREST DOUBLE DOWN OVER VAR ‘INTEGRITY’ AS CLUB ASKED PGMOL TO RELEASE AUDIO

Nottingham Forest have again questioned the ‘integrity’ of VAR in a slightly more reasonable statement to their post-match madness, asking for the audio recordings between officials in their 2-0 defeat to Everton to be released.

Forest were furious not to be awarded spot-kicks by Anthony Taylor for challenges on Giovanni Reyna and Callum Hudson-Odoi by Ashley Young, who in the meantime had looked fortunate to escape a handball decision with VAR official Stuart Attwell backing the referee.

‘Full transparency’ to ensure ‘integrity’

After the game the club said it would ‘consider its options’ and in a further statement have asked for ‘full transparency’ through access to the referees’ audio.

‘Nottingham Forest has today submitted a formal request to the PGMOL to release into the public domain the audio recordings between officials during yesterday’s match against Everton at Goodison Park.

‘The club has requested this be shared for three key match incidents – Ashley Young’s challenge on Giovanni Reyna (24th minute), Ashley Young’s handball (44th minute) and Ashley Young’s challenge on Callum Hudson-Odoi (56th minute).

‘We firmly advocate for the broader football community and supporters to have access to the audio and transcript for full transparency, ensuring the integrity of our sport is upheld.’

Forest launched an ill-advised and bitter attack on VAR minutes after the final whistle on Sunday, claiming bias on the part of official Stuart Atwell.

The club posted on X: ‘Three extremely poor decisions – three penalties not given – which we simply cannot accept.

‘We warned the PGMOL that the VAR is a Luton fan before the game, but they didn’t change him. Our patience has been tested multiple times.

‘NFFC will now consider its options.’

‘Show a little bit of class’

Forest’s post received a scathing response from Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher, who accused the club of lacking “class”.

Carragher said: “It tells you where we are with the Premier League now and the clubs. Stuart Attwell and Anthony Taylor have had an horrific day today, awful, and they should be rightly criticised for that and that could have real implications for Nottingham Forest.

“I get the frustration, but that, what I’ve just read there on social media, that’s like a fan in a pub. That is embarrassing from Nottingham Forest. I get the frustration.

“That rubbish that VAR’s a Luton fan – you can’t get involved in that. You’ve got to show a little bit of class if you’re a football club.

“I get it, the frustration – the officials had an awful day, terrible – but you can’t get involved in that, that’s nonsense.”

Fellow pundit Gary Neville, who described the suggestion about the VAR as “ridiculous”, added: “It’s horrendous the statement by that football club and it lets the proud history of that club down.”

2024-04-22T15:45:14Z dg43tfdfdgfd