Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) has strongly condemned the abuse and threats directed at referee Michael Oliver and his family after Arsenal's Premier League clash with Wolves on Saturday.

The controversy arose when Oliver issued a red card to Arsenal defender Myles Lewis-Skelly for "serious foul play" after a challenge on Wolves’ Matt Doherty during a corner. Arsenal players and manager Mikel Arteta were visibly outraged by the decision, with Arteta later describing himself as "fuming" over the call, which left Arsenal to play the majority of the match with 10 men.

PGMOL Issues Statement on Abuse

In a statement released on Sunday, PGMOL expressed outrage over the threats made towards Oliver and confirmed that police investigations are underway.

The statement read:
“We are appalled by the threats and abuse directed at Michael Oliver following the Wolverhampton Wanderers v Arsenal fixture. No official should be subject to any form of abuse, let alone the abhorrent attacks aimed at Michael and his family over the past 24 hours.

“The police are aware, and a number of investigations have commenced. We are supporting Michael, and all those affected, and are determined to tackle this unacceptable behaviour.

“Sadly, this is not the first time a match official has been forced to deal with threats in recent times. We will continue to support all investigations.”

Mixed Reactions to the Decision

The decision to send off Lewis-Skelly has sparked significant debate within the football community, with former players and referees weighing in.

Former Premier League referee Mike Dean supported Oliver’s decision, explaining to Sky Sports:
“When you see a still image, you understand what he has done. He has put his studs down his leg for serious foul play—scraped down the Achilles.”

In contrast, former England striker Alan Shearer called it "one of the worst decisions I've seen in a long time." Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, Shearer added:
“As a referee, you can get it wrong on the pitch, but how on earth Darren England, the VAR, thinks that the referee got it right and doesn’t send him to the screen is beyond me.

“It should have been a yellow card. It is a terrible decision. There was no speed, no intensity, it was not endangering an opponent, and it was 90 yards from goal—never, ever a red card. What worries me is that both the VAR and the assistant VAR reviewed this and still considered it serious foul play.”

Ongoing Criticism of PGMOL

The incident has reignited scrutiny of officiating standards and the use of VAR in the Premier League. PGMOL remains under pressure to ensure consistent and fair decisions amid rising tensions from players, managers, and fans alike.

As investigations continue, the organization has reiterated its commitment to protecting match officials and addressing unacceptable behavior in the sport.