Neil Doncaster insists SPFL are right on VAR timing and outlines potential impact of both Old Firm clubs playing Champions League group stage football

SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster has defended the decision to delay the introduction of VAR until midway through the 2022-23 Scottish Premiership campaign.

VAR is not scheduled to be implemented until the top flight resumes on December 17 after a five week mid-season break while the World Cup finals take place in Qatar.

While it leaves the Premiership clubs subject to the inconsistency of refereeing decisions only being aided by VAR for part of the campaign, Doncaster insists the timing is right.

“It’s a product of where we are,” he said. “We only want to introduce VAR when we are ready to do so. I think it’s important.

“But a number of other leagues across Europe have also implemented VAR partway through a season, so I don’t think we are doing anything particularly radical by bringing it in partway through next season.

“We were keen not to be early adopters of this technology. We have seen some of the teething problems its introduction has caused in some other leagues.

“So we were keen to ensure that we took advantage of the learnings from those leagues before we implemented it in Scotland.

“We are not quite ready to launch at the start of the season but in partnership with the Scottish FA we are very hopeful VAR will launch partway through the season and hopefully achieve less controversy than perhaps we have seen in recent seasons.

“But it’s a difficult job the refs have so any support they can have I’m sure will be appreciated.”

Doncaster, speaking to Sky Sports as the 2022-23 SPFL fixture list was released, expressed enthusiasm at the prospect of further progress in Europe for Scottish clubs in the new campaign with Celtic, Rangers, Hearts, Dundee United and Motherwell all involved.

With champions Celtic going