Lee Mason Leaves PGMOL After Arsenal vs Brentford VAR Controversy

Lee Mason, the Premier League referee who made a mistake as the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) in last weekend's match between Arsenal and Brentford, has left the referees' body PGMOL by mutual agreement.

Mason's departure comes after replays showed that Ivan Toney's equaliser for Brentford, which saw Arsenal drop two points in the title race, should have been ruled out for offside in the build-up.

PGMOL said later on Sunday that the decisions which went against both Arsenal and Brighton & Hove Albion in Saturday's league matches were down to "human error". PGMOL, which oversees match officials in the top four tiers of English football, has been under pressure to improve the use of VAR in the Premier League following a series of high-profile mistakes.

"PGMOL can confirm that Video Assistant Referee Lee Mason has departed the organisation by mutual consent," the referees' body said in a statement on Friday. Mason, a Premier League referee for 15 years, oversaw 287 top-flight matches during that time, with his last coming in the closing stages of the 2021-22 season.

Brighton also had a controversial decision go against them in their match against Crystal Palace, where Pervis Estupinan's goal was wrongly chalked off for offside. The VAR official, John Brooks, was replaced for two games after disallowing the Brighton goal.

Mason's departure is a significant development in the ongoing debate around the use of VAR in the Premier League, with PGMOL under pressure to ensure its officials are making the right decisions. The controversy over the Arsenal vs Brentford match has once again highlighted the need for a thorough review of VAR and how it can be improved to ensure that the right decisions are made on the pitch.