Anthony Taylor and Stuart Attwell, two officials embroiled in a VAR controversy surrounding Nottingham Forest’s defeat to Everton, have been selected to officiate at the upcoming UEFA Euro 2024 tournament in Germany. The announcement of their appointment to the eight-person team of English officials has raised eyebrows, following Forest’s grievances over the pair’s performance in their recent clash.
Forest had expressed concerns regarding Attwell’s impartiality due to his alleged allegiances to Luton Town, a fellow relegation-battling club. Additionally, they claimed that Taylor made several key errors during the match.
Despite the controversy, Taylor and Attwell will join fellow referees Michael Oliver, Gary Beswick, Stuart Burt, Dan Cook, and Adam Nunn, as well as video assistant referee David Coote, in representing England at the tournament. This marks the second consecutive Euros for Oliver and Taylor, and their third consecutive major international tournament following their appearances at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Cook will make his debut at a major international tournament, having primarily officiated in the Premier League since 2017. Beswick, Nunn, and Burt represented England at the 2022 World Cup, while Atwell and Coote are regular fixtures in European competitions and will also officiate at the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris. The inclusion of eight English officials at Euro 2024 is a testament to the quality of officiating in the country. Taylor and Attwell will be hoping to put the VAR controversy behind them and deliver strong performances on the European stage.
