The Pertinence of the VAR
On 15th July 2018, France won 4-2 against Croatia in the World Cup final. The first goal was a penalty from Antoine Griezmann after that the referees checked a screen with which he takes his time to watch well the action before whistling penalty. This first using in Europe of the VAR was in a World Cup final and it changes forever this match with this decision which permits to French players to score first in this game thanks to this penalty.
The Video Assistant Referee... What??
In 2016, the International Football Assistant Board (IFAB) validated the instauration of the VAR which was used for the first time in an official competition organized by FIFA on 14th December 2016 during the FIFA Club World Cup with Atletico Nacional against Kashima Antlers. The latter had a penalty after that the referee consulted the VAR to be sure to whistling penalty.
The VAR can be used for four cases: a goal, a penalty decision, a direct red card incident or for mistaken identity. Regarding the latter, it corresponds to a situation in which the referee gives a card to a wrong player.
The VAR is presented like a way to make some refereeing decisions fairer. Always in the continuity to put technologies in Football what was the case with the introduction of the Goal- line technology in 2012, which determinates if a ball has totally crossed the goal line or not.
The VAR for the justice
The main reason of the VAR introduction is to make fairer refereeing decisions. In other words, use the new technologies in Football to help the referees to take fairer decisions.
With the VAR, it is possible to referee at real speed. The referees have the right to make mistakes since the VAR can permit them to review an action and by this way, to correct their mistakes. The possibility to use this technology can also help the referees to decrease their stress and to be more concentrated during a game. Not giving in to pressure from the players, coaches and supports.
So, this technology is complementary to the human refereeing. To correct their decision, to make it fairer. The VAR should not intervene first, but only after the referee has made a wrong decision or hesitated to make decisions about whether there is a goal or not, a penalty or not, whether a player deserves a red card or not, and whether the referee gives a card to the right player or not.
Fairer decisions, but at what cost?
The VAR presents advantages but also some inconveniences. Since its creation, there is more and more controversy because of the bad using of the VAR as a slowness in decision making. During the UEFA Champion League (UCL) game between Real Madrid and PSG, the referee has conceded penalty for PSG and has gave red card for Real Madrid goalkeeper. Few minutes after, after to review the action with the VAR, he decides to reconsider his decision by cancelling the penalty and he red card because of a fault of a PSG midfielder Idrissa Gueye on Marcelo which took place in the center of the pitch, one minute before the fault of Thibaut Courtois on Mauricio Icardi. Four minutes, the referee took almost four minutes to check the VAR and at the same time retire the penalty for PSG and the red card for Courtois. All this for a little fault which took place one minute before the first fault that referee whistled.
This kind of use of the VAR is synonymous with the dehumanization of football, above all that makes a game slower. Whom talks about “beautiful game”? Through this action, we can notice a dependance of new technologies. This dependance involves more controversies and impacts emotions.
The UCL semi-final between Tottenham and Manchester City better illustrates the impact of emotions by the VAR. During the return match, Raheem Sterling scores at the end of the game. In the 95th minute, this goal permits to qualify Manchester City to the final... but the referee cancels this goal after to check the VAR. Pep Guardiola’s reaction in a few minutes shows how much the VAR impacts emotions. Before the referee checks the VAR, he was very exciting to think that he goes to the UCL final. But after this drastic decision, he collapses to the ground, both knees on the floor, and says goodbye to the final. This is what the VAR implies too.
Do you think the creation of VAR is a good thing for soccer? Why or why not?
https://www.theifab.com/laws/latest/video-assistant-referee-var- protocol/#principles
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_e0hxxiIio
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjx0Ab8riQs
VAR has been catalogued as one of the greatest successes of modern football and I agree with that. As you said in this blog and as many people think, maybe it’s true that with this new tool the epic, essence and emotions of football are lost but also it´s true that now we have a fairer sport. The creation and use of the VAR are only a clear example of adapting technology in our lives and using it in our favour.
ReplyDeleteAh I didn't know that VAR has been catalogued as one of the greatest successes of modern soccer! Honestly I don't know if the VAR makes the current soccer more "fair" especially since the controversies about the use of the VAR are increasing: the penalties not whistled yet the goals accepted when there is offside.
DeleteIn my opinion VAR is a good tool, as there is no bigger anger and disappointment of which when you favorite team loses a game because the referee saw something wrongly or did not see something and ruled in the wrong favor. With Video Assistant Referee they got a second chance to judge fairly and come to the right conclusion. Even though as you mention I agree that VAR breaks the momentum of the game.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with your thinking, The VAR is very good as it allows the game to be fairer, but it still has a lot to improve. One thing I don't understand is how in some leagues like the Bundesliga it is very accurate but for example in Champions League, it sometimes leaves a lot to be desired. Many decisons are given in one match but excluded in others, and this should not be the case. The VAR officials should be given the same preparation and the same set of rules so VAR can be in fact impartial. It shouldn't be the case that the same situations in the game are reviewed differently depending on who is on the VAR room analyzing.
DeleteI actually don't quite agree with this, because even with VAR today, you might still have controversies, you might still finish a game with anger and disappointment of the referees' decisions and VAR decisions. Even VAR rules are still very unclear, and referees can still interfere in its decisions. So is it actually that fair? Nevertheless, this debate is actually difficult because there are advantages and disadvantages of VAR...one game VAR is advantageous, and another game it may be the reason you lost.
DeleteYoussef Saleh
I think VAR is a good tool as the technology can help to take fairer decisions. In order to use this technology in a proper way a clear regulation should exist. The IFAB (International Football Association Board) created a clear protocol which should be followed by all referees. However, humans are the ones which take the final decision so they should be impartial and, as we have seen, in some occasions they are not.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteJoaquim Passi
In my opinion the VAR has been a great decision of the organisation of this sport to introduce justice in every match. In this way it is almost impossible for the referees to create errors or mistakes in their decisions, as years ago there were great matches where because of some confusion several teams have won or scored goals that really were not. So to be able to have the opportunity to enjoy a real match without having to be frustrated by any confusing confrontation it's incredible.
VAR is definitely a great tool to make football more fair. Although sometimes it is not fully fair, it is much more fair than football without VAR. Also this tool helped the referees a lot. They used to be really criticized every single game and now they do not get criticized as much. Being a referee is a very rough job and VAR has facilitated they job a lot and it is definitely a tool they deserve. Because withouth technology it is very hard to make correct decisions all the time.
ReplyDeleteI think VAR has been one of the best things to happen to modern soccer. But I also think it can get even better.
ReplyDeletePart of this is, as the article says, the time that is "lost" when using this technology on the field. And not so much because of the seconds (or minutes) that can be made up later, but because it breaks the rhythm of the match that was going on at the time, hurting some but benefiting others.
As technology advances, I am sure the use of VAR will become more and more efficient in its timing and the way it is presented, continuing to be a tool that makes soccer fair, without losing the beauty of the sport.