(Reuters) – Wolverhampton Wanderers chairman Jeff Shi has spoken out against the referee’s decision to disallow his team’s late equaliser in a match against West Ham United, calling on the Premier League and referees’ body to maintain the integrity of the league.
Wolves were left outraged when their apparent 2-2 goal in stoppage time was overturned after Maximilian Kilman’s header from a corner was deemed offside.
Referee Tony Harrington was prompted to review the offside ruling against Tawanda Chirewa, who was positioned in front of West Ham goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski, with Wolves manager Gary O’Neil labeling it a ‘scandalous’ and ‘horrendous’ call.
“When a goal is scored and no one in the stadium questions its validity, including players, coaches, fans, and even the officials, it raises doubts about the necessity of someone from afar overturning it,” Shi remarked.
“We hope that the Premier League and PGMOL recognize the importance of addressing these concerns to uphold the league’s integrity and reinforce why the Premier League is considered the best in the world.
“The club will continue backing our players and coaches to persevere, together with our supporters, in approaching each remaining game with the same fervor and determination that has brought success to this team, a source of pride for us to stand behind.”
This controversial decision is not the first time Wolves have been at the receiving end of questionable calls this season.
In August, PGMOL’s chief refereeing officer Howard Webb issued an apology to Wolves for not awarding them a stoppage-time penalty in a 1-0 loss to Manchester United.
Webb also acknowledged faults in VAR during Wolves’ 2-2 draw with Newcastle United in October, where Newcastle benefitted from a contentious penalty decision.
(Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru; editing by Clare Fallon)
