February 14, (THEWILL) – Lee Mason, the former on-field referee, who now works exclusively on Video Assistant Referee (VAR) duties, has been stood down from his role for the upcoming English Premier League fixtures.
The decision comes after he failed to spot an offside for Brentford’s equaliser against Arsenal on Saturday. The PGMOL, which is responsible for refereeing in the Premier League, claimed that Mason had “forgotten” to draw the lines and had not fully investigated the build-up to the goal. They have attributed the mistake to “human error,” as THEWILL reported.
This is not the first time Mason has come under scrutiny for a high-profile error. He was not selected earlier this season after disallowing a goal for Newcastle in their home match against Crystal Palace on September 3. Similarly, John Brooks, the lead VAR official, was removed from Monday’s Merseyside derby and Wednesday’s match between Arsenal and Manchester City after a controversial offside decision.
However, Brooks is set to return to duty but as the fourth official for Aston Villa vs Arsenal on Saturday. The PGMOL’s decision to stand down Mason and Brooks follows the announcement that referees’ chief, Howard Webb, has called a meeting of EPL officials for Tuesday, after two high-profile offside errors at the weekend.
This decision to hold a meeting is expected to address the growing concerns about VAR’s efficacy and transparency in decision-making.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
