Police examine threats to ref after Celtic-Rangers recreation

MANCHESTER, England — Police in Scotland are investigating “threatening” messages despatched to referee Kevin Clancy as one other British soccer official is thrust into the headlines for the unsuitable causes.

Clancy was criticized for his efficiency in Celtic’s 3-2 win in opposition to Rangers within the Scottish Premiership on Saturday, resulting in a number of abusive messages.

The Scottish Football Association stated it had “referred a significant volume of threatening and abusive emails to Police Scotland after personal and professional contact details” of the referee had been printed on-line.

“We are investigating alleged threatening communications which were reported to us by the SFA today,” Police Scotland stated in an announcement posted on Twitter on Tuesday.

It is the newest high-profile incident involving match officers in latest days.

Assistant referee Constantine Hatzidakis was concerned in a conflict with Liverpool defender Andy Robertson on Sunday. Hatzidakis appeared to lift his arm and make contact with the face of the Scotland worldwide throughout Liverpool’s 2-2 draw with Arsenal at Anfield.

That adopted referees physique, the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), having to apologize to Brighton for the failure to award a penalty within the south coast membership’s 2-1 loss to Tottenham a day earlier, which may have an effect on the battle for the European qualifying spots. The video assistant referee for that match, Michael Salisbury, has not been appointed for any video games within the subsequent spherical of Premier League fixtures.

Hatzidakis has been taken off obligation whereas the English Football Association appears into the incident with Robertson, who appeared incensed within the instant aftermath and appeared to complain that he had been hit. The collision, which was caught by tv cameras, overshadowed an exhilarating recreation that blew the Premier League title race vast open.

“I know it happened but I didn’t watch it,” Liverpool supervisor Jurgen Klopp stated Sunday. “If it happened the pictures will speak for themselves.”

On-pitch referee Stuart Attwell, who didn’t give Brighton a spot-kick in actual time after Kaoru Mitoma was tripped by Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, would be the VAR official for Wolverhampton’s Premier League recreation with Brentford on Saturday. He may even be the fourth official when West Ham hosts Arsenal on Sunday.

Clancy was criticized after Celtic’s win moved the Scottish league leaders 12 factors clear on the high of the standings.

Rangers supervisor Michael Beale complained afterward that the referee obtained two main selections unsuitable.

Rangers wrote to the SFA in search of an evidence for why an early objective from Alfredo Morelos was disallowed. But the membership condemned the threats made to Clancy.