Nottingham Forest has made a formal request to the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) to release the audio recordings between match officials during their recent 2-0 defeat to Everton. The club believes transparency is crucial in upholding the integrity of the sport, and supporters deserve to hear the rationale behind three key decisions that went against them.
The contentious moments all involved potential penalties for Nottingham Forest. In the 24th minute, Ashley Young’s challenge on Giovanni Reyna went unpunished. Twenty minutes later, Young’s handball in the box was also waved away. The final incident occurred in the 56th minute, with another Young challenge, this time on Callum Hudson-Odoi. Once again, the referee Anthony Taylor opted not to award a spot-kick, and VAR official Stuart Attwell upheld those decisions.
Adding fuel to the fire, Nottingham Forest raised concerns about Stuart Attwell’s impartiality due to his alleged support for Luton Town, a rival of Nottingham Forest in the fight against relegation. The club claims to have warned the PGMOL beforehand about the potential conflict of interest.
Former Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg, a consultant for Nottingham Forest who was present at the match, echoed the club’s sentiments. He called the penalty decisions “a joke” and criticized the PGMOL for assigning Attwell to the VAR role. Clattenburg further emphasized the importance of avoiding such appointments in high-stakes relegation battles.
The PGMOL has yet to respond to Nottingham Forest’s request for the VAR audio release. The decision to make such recordings public is unprecedented, and it remains to be seen if the organization will grant Forest’s wish in the name of transparency.
