The former Chelsea winger was investigated by the BBC after making untrue claims during Celtic's final day match against Hearts last season.
Everton FC v Southampton FC - Premier League
Pat Nevin (Image: Getty)
The BBC has found that Pat Nevin made an 'honest error' that 'fell below the corporation's editorial standards of accuracy' following his incorrect claim that Celtic fans punched Lawrence Shankland. Nevin's comments were made during BBC Radio 5 Live's coverage of Celtic's 3-1 win over Hearts in May, a result that sealed the Scottish Premiership title for the Hoops.
During the broadcast, Nevin alleged that 'two or three' Celtic supporters had punched the Hearts captain amid the pitch invasion, describing the scenes as 'sickening' and 'unacceptable.' The BBC's Executive Complaints Unit (ECU) launched an investigation after listeners challenged the accuracy of his remarks.
It was later concluded that Nevin's comments had fallen below the BBC's editorial standards of accuracy, as he had no opportunity to verify the incident before speaking.
The ECU said: "During a pitch invasion towards the end of the Hearts v Celtic match, the commentator Pat Nevin said two or three Celtic fans had punched the Hearts captain. Two listeners complained this was untrue.
"The scenes at the end of the match were chaotic, and Mr Nevin and his co-commentators were trying to give listeners an impression of events as they unfolded, with no opportunity for verification before speaking.
"Mr Nevin subsequently acknowledged that he should not have stated definitively that the Hearts captain had been punched by Celtic fans. The ECU accepted that this was an honest error made in the heat of the moment, but concluded that it fell below the BBC's editorial standards of accuracy."
Celtic v Heart of Midlothian -
Nevin wrongly claimed that Celtic fans punched Lawrence Shankland (Image: Getty)
Nevin has apologised publicly and addressed the matter. In his BBC column, he wrote: "I made a mistake in a commentary at the end of the last game of the Scottish season.
"From my angle in the gantry, I thought I saw a punch thrown, but it appears it was a confrontation or maybe just goading from one of the hundreds of Celtic fans who invaded the pitch just before the end of the game.
"Goading is not physical violence, and I will take it on the chin, the way the Hearts player probably didn't. My apologies to those offended."