Keith Hackett Raises Concerns Over James Maddison’s Criticism of Referees
Keith Hackett, the former FIFA referee and ex-PG MOL chief, discussed Tottenham midfielder James Maddison’s recent comments with Football Insider. Hackett expressed serious concerns regarding whether Maddison’s Instagram post could breach FA rules concerning questioning a referee’s integrity.
“This post will be reviewed by the FA Disciplinary Department, which will determine if it brings into question the integrity of the referee.
If they decide that it does, he will be written to and asked for his observations, which then may result in a charge, and if found guilty, may result in a fine or suspension.
In my opinion, it does question the match official’s integrity, and he should be charged, but watch this space.”
Hackett’s remarks pertain to an Instagram post Maddison shared following Tottenham’s recent 1-1 draw with Leeds United in mid-May 2026.
In the post, Maddison seemed to criticize match officials for not awarding a late penalty when he went down in the box. He also suggested that referees might hesitate to make significant calls due to the influence of VAR.