Former Fifa official outraged over perceived injustice involving Rangers’ Bojan Miovski.

Former FIFA referee Keith Hackett has claimed Rangers striker Bojan Miovski was the victim of a “total injustice” after being penalised for handball during North Macedonia’s Nations League defeat against Scotland.

The former PGMOL chief believes the decision to award Scotland a penalty following a VAR review was extremely harsh, arguing that Miovski had no realistic opportunity to move his arm away from the ball because of the short distance between the players.

Scotland secured an important victory on Saturday, October 3, with Kieron Bowie and John McGinn finding the net. The result moved Scotland into third place in Nations League B Group 1, while North Macedonia remained at the bottom of the standings.

However, the major talking point came in the second half when Miovski was punished for an incident on the goal line.

Bowie’s effort was struck from close range and was blocked by Miovski, who appeared to raise his hand slightly as he attempted to protect himself. The ball hit the Rangers forward, and after a VAR intervention, the referee was advised to review the incident.

The decision eventually went against Miovski, with Scotland awarded a penalty. McGinn stepped up in the 69th minute and converted from the spot, giving Scotland a crucial advantage.

Miovski was also shown a yellow card for the handball, adding to the frustration for the North Macedonia international.

Hackett has now questioned the decision and suggested the incident demonstrates the problems caused by the current interpretation of the handball law.

Speaking to Football Insider, the former FIFA official explained that the wording of the law can leave too much room for different interpretations by referees.

Hackett argued that players should not be punished when they have no genuine opportunity to react to a ball travelling towards them from such a short distance.

“I will continue to say that the handball law in the way it’s written is too open to subjectivity in relation to match officials,” Hackett said.

He believes that similar incidents can produce completely different decisions depending on which referee is in charge, something he feels creates an unfair situation for players and clubs.

According to Hackett, Miovski had no time to withdraw his arm before the ball struck him.

The former referee acknowledged that officials could consider whether an arm has been deliberately positioned away from the body to make a player’s silhouette bigger. However, he argued that such an interpretation did not apply convincingly to the Rangers striker’s situation.

He insisted that Miovski simply did not have enough time to think about moving his arm before the ball reached him.

Hackett was particularly critical of the yellow card issued to Miovski, highlighting the potential consequences of accumulating cautions during the Nations League.

He described the punishment as particularly severe because another yellow card could result in a suspension, while there is no straightforward opportunity for the player to appeal the decision.

For Hackett, the combination of the penalty and disciplinary punishment represented an unnecessary injustice.

He concluded that the incident amounted to “very poor officiating”.

While the controversial decision has generated debate around Miovski’s international involvement, the striker also faces uncertainty over his future at Rangers.

The forward has already spent significant time away with North Macedonia during the international break and, remarkably, has played more minutes for his country than he has for Rangers so far this season.

That lack of regular football has become an issue for the 27-year-old, particularly because Rangers boss Derek McInnes has continued to favour other attacking options.

Miovski’s situation is even more surprising because Rangers have been without Youssef Chermiti and Lawrence Shankland for periods, yet the striker has still struggled to establish himself as a regular starter.

The Rangers forward did provide an important reminder of his ability last month when he scored a stoppage-time winner against St Mirren.

Despite that decisive contribution, reports indicate that Miovski remains well down McInnes’ pecking order at Ibrox.

His limited opportunities could therefore have significant consequences when the January transfer window opens.

A departure could become a realistic possibility if the striker continues to struggle for minutes, particularly if he believes his opportunities at Rangers are unlikely to improve.

The competition for places has also become tougher following the arrival of Kevin Kelsy, who joined Rangers in a deal worth around £9 million.

Kelsy’s arrival gives McInnes another option in the centre-forward position and could make it even more difficult for Miovski to force his way into the starting XI.

For a striker who needs consistent opportunities to maintain momentum, the situation could become increasingly frustrating.

Miovski’s immediate focus will be on returning to Rangers and fighting for a greater role, but his lack of playing time means his future at Ibrox could become one of the club’s key talking points heading into January.

Meanwhile, Hackett’s comments have ensured that the controversial handball decision remains under scrutiny.

His argument is that Miovski should not have been punished for an incident where the ball was travelling at him from extremely close range and there was little or no opportunity for him to react.

Whether supporters agree with the former FIFA official or not, the decision has added another layer of controversy to Scotland’s victory and left Miovski facing both international disappointment and uncertainty over his Rangers future.