Complaint
A listener complained about a discussion on the use of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system in the Scottish Premiership arguing it was biased because it was “framed around one incident which went against Rangers” and failed to discuss incidents which went against Celtic. The ECU considered whether the item met the standards for impartiality set out in the BBC Guidelines.
Outcome
Due impartiality does not require the inclusion of every point of view. The discussion on this edition of Sportsound covered a variety of incidents involving different teams and did not focus solely on the incident in the game between Celtic and Rangers. The conversation ranged across many topics including how VAR can influence the decisions of referees on the pitch, the impact it has on fans and players during matches, and a range of views on the positives and negatives of the system. The ECU considered the programme had covered a range of views on how VAR is used and its impact on the game sufficient to ensure due impartiality was maintained.
Not Upheld