- Scottish football referee John Beaton and his family have been placed under police surveillance after their personal details were leaked online following a controversial penalty decision.
- The incident occurred after Celtic's victory over Motherwell on Wednesday, where Beaton's VAR-assisted decision to award a penalty allowed Celtic to reduce the points gap on Premiership leaders Hearts, drawing widespread condemnation.
- The Scottish Football Association (SFA) confirmed police intervention and issued a strong statement condemning the “vigilantism” and linking it to a broader issue of heightened criticism and hostility towards officials.
- The SFA announced its intention to strengthen rules to better protect match officials, arguing that a “hysterical media narrative” and “irresponsible knee-jerk post-match interviews” have created a dangerous environment.
- This is not the first time Beaton's family has been affected, as three men were sentenced in 2018 for abusive phone messages he received after officiating a Rangers win over Celtic.
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