THE Scottish Football Association (SFA) has been accused of censoring a critical pundit after kicking him out of the Hampden's carpark.
Premier Sports and BBC pundit Michael Stewart was initially banned from Scotland's national stadium after he repeatedly criticised the standards of refereeing in Scotland, in particular the SFA's head of refereeing, Willie Collum.
Stewart has said that all football journalists should have the right to express their opinions, even if some disagree with them.
"I've been banished to the car park here" 🗣️ @mstewart_23 shares his thoughts on today's Semi-Final between Dunfermline and Falkirk 🏆 #ScottishCup pic.twitter.com/1DBSxxOXFH
— Premier Sports (@PremSportsTV) April 18, 2026
"Instead of trying to silence voices of dissent, the Scottish FA should be engaging with us, answering our questions and explaining their position," he told The Sun.
"People have every right to disagree with me – and many of them do every day.
"But all football commentators should be free to express an opinion, without being denied access to the places we go to do our jobs."
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But the SFA has claimed his remarks have crossed the line from opinion to a campaign against referees, the BBC reports .
It is understood the decision followed complaints from the union representing referees, who have made it clear they have had enough of Stewart's commentary.
Stewart, who earned four caps playing for the Scotland national team, was initially banned from attending Scotland's clash with Japan last month, being told he would not be welcome on an indefinite basis.
However, Stewart attempted a partial bypass to the ban, hiding in a broadcasting van in the stadium's carpark while Dunfermline played Falkirk on Saturday, contributing to the analysis of the match after watching on a screen.
It appears the SFA have now cracked down further, ahead of Celtic's clash with St Mirren on Sunday.
A statement from Premier Sports, who are due to show the game exclusively, said: “Following [Saturday's] Scottish Cup semi-final, where Michael Stewart was unable to broadcast from inside Hampden and instead contributed from our production truck, we have now been informed by the SFA that he is also banned from the stadium car park.
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“This further escalation is deeply disappointing and has left Premier Sports, the SFA’s broadcast partner, scrambling to find solutions for our exclusive coverage of Celtic v St Mirren tomorrow.
“We also wish to reiterate our full support for Michael Stewart as a valued member of our team, and we will continue to seek alternative ways to ensure he can remain involved in our coverage of matches from Hampden.”
The row has now escalated beyond football bodies, with former SNP leader Ian Blackford weighing in on the incident.
He said on X/Twitter: "This is farcical and pathetic from the Scottish FA who really ought to grow up and stop the petulance. Michael Stewart is a respected broadcaster. The attempt by the SFA to cancel Michael is shameful."
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