Four Hearts VAR decisions deemed wrong in review revealed

The Scottish FA communicated ten incidents ruled to have reached the incorrect outcome with clubs on Wednesday morning.

And among the wrong decisions were four involving Steven Naismith's side. However, according to the panel, three of the four incidents actually benefitted Hearts.

The panel - made up of players, managers, coaches, and experts on the laws of the game - reached the verdict that two penalties awarded to Hearts should have been overturned and one against the Tynecastle club was incorrect.

The update also stated a penalty should have been awarded against Hearts in the win over St Mirren last month.

The first 'key match incident' deemed incorrect was the penalty awarded to Hearts against Hibs when Kenneth Vargas went down under challenge from Will Fish.

The panel state that the intervention of VAR was correct but that the penalty should not have been awarded with no foul evident.

READ MORE: Saulius Mikoliunas interview: Hearts, Romanov, scoring v Hibs

Then, two penalty decisions in the match against Celtic were ruled wrong. The first was that the penalty awarded to Celtic for a foul on Yang by Alex Cochrane was incorrect.

VAR should have recommended an on-field review with the penalty decision then overturned with no foul or penalty to Celtic.

In the same match, the panel state no penalty should have been awarded to Hearts for Tomoki Iwata's handball. Don Robertson did not award the penalty on-field but changed his mind after a review was recommended.

Finally, the VAR IRP have deemed the decision not to award St Mirren a penalty against Hearts as incorrect. 

Conor McMenamin had gone down in the box in Paisley after a tackle from Aidan Denholm but no spot-kick was awarded. 

The panel have ruled that a VAR intervention in the incident was correct but the a penalty should have been awarded to the hosts.

Incorrect VAR decisions involving Hearts

Hearts 1-1 Hibernian (28/2/24): VAR intervention correct, but penalty decision, which led to Hearts' equaliser, should have been overturned - no foul and no penalty should have been awarded.

Hearts 2-0 Celtic (3/3/24): VAR should have recommended an on-field review. Penalty decision should have been overturned - no foul and no penalty should have been awarded to Celtic.

Hearts 2-0 Celtic (3/3/24): On-field decision correct, no penalty to Hearts. Handball should not have been awarded for spot-kick that led to opening goal.

St Mirren 1-2 Hearts (6/4/24): VAR intervention correct, but penalty should have been awarded to St Mirren for a foul on Conor McMenamin by Aidan Denholm.