Nottingham Forest ‘listen in to VAR penalty debate’ but key demand refused

Nottingham Forest have accepted an offer to listen to the VAR audio linked to three penalty claims in their match against Everton at Goodison Park, according to the PA news agency.

Referees’ body Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) extended an offer to Forest on Tuesday to hear the audio in private after the club had asked on Monday for the audio to be released publicly.

Sources close to the Premier League outfit said they were initially unhappy that the audio would not be released publicly as requested, but it is understood the club have now accepted the offer to hear it privately.

The Premier League could charge the club in relation to that statement, with the league saying it was “extremely disappointed” by their comments and adding that it was “never appropriate to improperly question the integrity of match officials”.

The club went on to call for rules on referees’ and VARs’ allegiances to be extended so that “contextual rivalries” as well as local rivalries were taken into account.

Referees do already declare allegiances and will not be assigned that team’s matches, or certain other fixtures such as those involving direct local rivals of that club.

For instance, Michael Oliver has spoken in the past about being unable to referee Newcastle games because he is a fan.

Other factors that determine appointments include which teams an official’s immediate family members support, as well as performance and the number of times they have officiated a particular team’s matches.

Three members of Forest staff – manager Nuno Espirito Santo, full-back Neco Williams and referee analyst Mark Clattenburg – could also be charged by the Football Association over comments they made about the officiating on Sunday. The FA has asked them for observations on their comments.