Lee Mason leaves PGMOL after VAR error

Video assistant referee Lee Mason has left Professional Game Match Officials Limited [PGMOL] by mutual consent and will no longer officiate on Premier League games.

Mason caused controversy last weekend after failing to spot an offside in the build-up to Brentford's equaliser against Arsenal.

Christian Norgaard appeared to be in an offside position before providing an assist for Ivan Toney to level the score for the Bees, who went on to take a point at the Emirates.

Mason had not been selected as a VAR for the next round of Premier League fixtures taking place this weekend, and PGMOL confirmed in a statement on Friday night that the referee had departed.

The statement said: "PGMOL can confirm that Video Assistant Referee Lee Mason has departed the organisation by mutual consent.

"Lee was a Premier League referee for 15 years and oversaw 287 top-flight matches during that time, with his last coming during the closing stages of the 2021/22 season.

"His full career in the professional game saw the 51-year-old officiate in over 500 fixtures after he progressed to the Football League in 1998.

"We would like to thank Lee for his dedicated service to the professional game and wish him all the best for the future."

Mason's mistake was not an isolated incident as John Brooks wrongly disallowed a goal for Brighton against Crystal Palace last Saturday too and the errors prompted chief refereeing officer at PGMOL Howard Webb to contact Arsenal and Brighton, as well as call a meeting of all Premier League officials at Stockley Park on Tuesday.

With Mason’s decision allowing Brentford to equalise, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta described the error as unacceptable.

He said: "We ended the game, after analysing all the evidence that we’ve had with