Michael Stewart last night accused the SFA of setting ‘a dangerous precedent’ by banning him from Hampden over his perceived excessive criticism of match officials.
The 45-year-old pundit was sanctioned by the governing body after it was felt his words had crossed from opinion into a sustained campaign against referees to the point of questioning their integrity.
Scheduled to work for Premier Sports, Stewart still offered his opinions on Saturday’s Scottish Cup semi-final between Falkirk and Dunfermline from a production van in the car park but was unable to do so for Sunday’s game between Celtic and St Mirren after being told that was part of the stadium foot print.
That punitive action was backed by the country’s officials in a statement released yesterday.
Addressing his ban for the first time on Premier Sports’ Scottish Football Social Club Podcast last night, Stewart said: ‘I’m not going to sit here and play some sort of victim because I’m big and ugly enough to take it on my shoulders. But there’s a strain that comes with it and for everyone else around me as well.
‘I take a lot of pride in trying to be straight and honest with my assessment of things. Clearly, that upsets people in power sometimes.
Stewart was blocked from doing his punditry in a production van in the Hampden car park
‘Ultimately, I’m not here to appease them. I’m trying to be honest and I think that’s important.
‘There’s a serious issue here and a dangerous precedent set by the SFA. They see fit to ban me for things that I’ve said.
‘There’s a false narrative that’s been peddled claiming there has been over a year of complaints and conversations between the refs and the SFA, who are unhappy by how I’ve approached things.
‘My retort to that would be: why on earth did the SFA not decide to discuss this with their broadcasting partners at Premier Sports?
‘They (SFA) didn’t take kindly to the fact I am still being given an opportunity on the broadcasting team on the footprint of Hampden, in the car park.
‘They sent an email to Premier Sports saying they hadn’t followed what had been asked of them — whatever that means — and that I was banned from the car park.
‘Quite simply, it was farcical. The fallout has been petty and pathetic.
‘What sort of country do we live in that an institution sees fit to ban somebody for having an opinion they don’t agree on?
‘Fundamentally, that’s what this is about. Everything I have done is out there in the public domain.
‘Premier and myself have asked for six months for better communication. Is it really a tenable position to say “we’re not happy” and not communicate, then you’re banned? That’s not how grown-ups behave.’
Stewart has been a regular on the punditry scene for both Premier Sports and the BBC
Stewart’s remarks came after the Scottish Senior Football Referees’ Association backed the SFA’s decision to refuse the pundit entry to the national stadium.
‘The SSFRA notes the action taken by the SFA in respect of Michael Stewart,’ read a statement. ‘While this is ultimately a matter for the SFA, we are aligned in the view that his commentary this season has, at times, extended well beyond fair and legitimate criticism, including personal remarks that call into question the integrity of our members.
‘We fully recognise and respect the important role that informed and constructive criticism play in the game. We do not seek to stifle legitimate comment or differing viewpoints.
‘However, we believe there is a clear distinction between balanced, evidence-based critique and commentary that appears disproportionate, agenda driven, or personal in nature.
‘We believe it is important this distinction is maintained to protect both the professionalism of match officials and the integrity of the wider game.
‘There have also been occasions where exclusive access to VAR communications has, in our view, been used inappropriately, to deliberately create a narrative to undermine confidence in refereeing standards.’
Stewart, who also works for the BBC, retains the full backing of Premier Sports. After news of his ban emerged, the broadcaster issued a statement over the weekend saying: ‘Premier Sports are extremely disappointed with the SFA’s decision to ban a valued member of our team from covering matches inside Hampden.
‘We believe this is setting a dangerous precedent and do not see any merit in attempting to control who is allowed to comment on our national game at the national stadium.
‘We fully support Michael’s right to air his opinions on important issues relating to football and we will continue to give him as many opportunities as possible to do so.’
