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Are you in favour of VAR in football?

Are you in favour of VAR in the Premier League?

  • Total voters
    22
VAR isn't going to be right all the time but it definitely helps in getting most of the decisions right.
 
hassan918 said:
VAR isn't going to be right all the time but it definitely helps in getting most of the decisions right.
Click to expand...
This is spot on

The problem is that far too many people are expecting perfection, which is very naive, it was never going to be that however if it can reduce absolute howlers (which it has done) then it's been a success
 
Wolves manager Gary O'Neil has said bad refereeing decisions are affecting "reputations" and "livelihoods" after his team were on the wrong end of video assistant referee calls in Monday's 3-2 loss at Fulham.

O'Neil said referee Michael Salisbury admitted the decision to award the first of two penalties against his side was an error, and believes four big decisions went against Wolves.

"Maybe tonight has finally turned me against VAR," O'Neil told Sky Sports.

"The impact that you are having on my reputation, and the club and people's livelihoods is massive. We should be able to talk about the game and not decisions, but unfortunately we can't.

"I think it is a really complex [issue]. I have always been for VAR but I think it is causing problems at the moment. I think VAR has cost us there."


 
VAR is a must for the transparent results these days but the problem arises when you have pedestrian tv referees to operate them.
 
Overall positive but mistakes are inevitable. Should allow each manager a challenge on anything they want and lots of issues would be reduced
 
With so many complaints. Move to 3 challenges a game. Which the managers must undertake with a minute of the incident
 
Mark Clattenburg: Ex-Premier League official says lack of trust in VAR could drive referees away

Former Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg is concerned that referees could leave the game as players lose faith in officials because of inconsistencies around the use of VAR.

Clattenburg officiated in the Premier League from 2004-2017 before leaving to take up an opportunity in Saudi Arabia.

VAR was introduced to the Premier League in 2019-20, after he had left.

"The problem you've got now is that the players now don't trust the system," Clattenburg told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"I think sometimes referees don't make a decision on the field because they know the technology should put the decision correct.

"But then you've got the argument, is VAR putting the decisions correct most weeks? Yes, it does sometimes, sometimes it doesn't.

"So what it's doing is that it creates a tension between the players. And the players are so highly strung because it's a results-driven sport that they then vent the anger and dissent on to the referee."

Arsenal called for "urgent" action on refereeing standards and backed manager Mikel Arteta after the Spaniard was highly critical of VAR when a goal scored by Newcastle's Anthony Gordon was allowed to stand in a 1-0 win against the Gunners in November.

That was one of many controversial VAR incidents this season in the Premier League and the Professional Game Match Officials Ltd (PGMOL) drafted in pilots and air traffic controllers to help England's top referees in October.

"[Referees] need the authority to do the job in a safe environment. If not, many referees are going to leave the game and without referees unfortunately we are not going to get a game of football in," said Clattenburg, who was chosen to referee the finals of the European Championship and the Champions League in 2016.

"I never, ever had a problem with dissent on the pitch because most of the time players used to respect the referee's decision - probably prior to VAR. I think VAR has created a bit more tension between the players because they don't know if they are going to get the decision or not."




www.bbc.com

Players lack trust in VAR - ex-referee Clattenburg

Premier League referees could be driven out of the game as a lack of trust in VAR from players is putting them under greater pressure, says former official Mark Clattenburg.
www.bbc.com www.bbc.com
 
Mark Clattenburg: Ex-Premier League official says lack of trust in VAR could drive referees away

Mark Clattenburg officiated his final Premier League game in April 2017 when Leicester beat West Brom
Former Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg is concerned that referees could leave the game as players lose faith in officials because of inconsistencies around the use of VAR.

Clattenburg officiated in the Premier League from 2004-2017 before leaving to take up an opportunity in Saudi Arabia.

VAR was introduced to the Premier League in 2019-20, after he had left.

"The problem you've got now is that the players now don't trust the system," Clattenburg told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"I think sometimes referees don't make a decision on the field because they know the technology should put the decision correct.

"But then you've got the argument, is VAR putting the decisions correct most weeks? Yes, it does sometimes, sometimes it doesn't.

Source : BBC Sports
 
It’s a joke – Vincent Kompany ‘shocked’ by decision to allow Luton equalizer

Vincent Kompany fumed over the decision to allow Luton’s controversial stoppage-time equaliser as Burnley were denied a crucial three points in a 1-1 draw against their relegation rivals at Turf Moor.

Carlton Morris headed into an empty net after Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford was blocked by Elijah Adebayo as he tried to claim Alfie Doughty’s cross, but referee Tony Harrington was unmoved and VAR Peter Bankes upheld the goal following a lengthy check.

After Zeki Amdouni’s 36th-minute goal, Burnley had been moments away from celebrating a win that would have put them a point behind Luton and within touching distance of safety, but instead it was the Hatters who moved level on points with 17th-placed Everton.

“It’s a joke, a joke,” the Burnley boss said. “I will start by saying 100 per cent respect and credit to Luton, they’re a terrific outfit, what they do as a club, the players, managers, they deserve whatever is coming to them, a really good club.

“In that phase I’ve just got to defend my team, my club. I don’t understand how we can go through this phase and those events and not come to the conclusion it’s a foul.

“The striker, good luck to him, his first look is at the goalkeeper, he has a look and takes a couple of steps back and backs into him, clears a way for his colleague, then has a look at the referee to see if he gets away with it. The ball goes in, none of the Luton players celebrate, nobody.”

JJ Watt, Burnley co-owner, described the decision to allow the goal to stand as “truly disgraceful.”

The former NFL star wrote on X: “I’m new to this ownership thing, so if I get fined by the Premier League, so be it…

“This is as blatant and obvious of a foul as you could have.

“To miss this on the field AND miss this on VAR is truly disgraceful.”

Kompany also pointed to a series of controversial decisions that have gone against his side this season.

“For those that where there for Aston Villa, Bournemouth, Forest, how many times is it going to keep happening? A couple of lines in the newspaper and on we go. Consequences? Zero,” he said.

“Maybe we get a bit on one of the specialist things where they explain the referee decision but we won’t spend too much time on it because we need to talk about Manchester United and Liverpool. And we move on…

“It’s against my nature because I would like to congratulate Luton and tell my players what we have to do to improve. I’m shocked.

“I’m disappointed but if you know me tomorrow the only people I will blame is ourselves, what can we do better? But hopefully it will balance out and then we’ll get a lot of angry managers from the opposition when it does.”

Luton boss Rob Edwards admitted he would have been disappointed to have been on Burnley’s end of the decision, but did his best to argue there had been no foul.

“Obviously I’m really pleased to get a point,” he said. “In the end that’s nothing less than we deserved. We were excellent. We dominated large spells of the game. In the first half we dominated and looked a threat. In the second half we blocked things up a bit more made it difficult to get behind…

“We showed a lot of control without hurting them but we kept going, the team doesn’t give in and we found a way, whatever way it was.

“It’s difficult. VAR is there to show if a decision is blatantly wrong and I don’t think it is blatantly wrong. But I can understand their frustration. There is contact there with James Trafford but if it hadn’t have been given I would have been frustrated because it was pretty minimal.”
​
www.beinsports.com

It’s a joke – Vincent Kompany ‘shocked’ by decision to allow Luton equaliser

Carlton Morris’ controversial stoppage-time goal earned Luton a 1-1 draw at Turf Moor.
www.beinsports.com www.beinsports.com
 
Nottingham Forest have been informed by the referees' organisation that the video assistant referee did not have the power to rule out Brentford's disputed equaliser on Saturday.

Ivan Toney moved the ball for his free-kick, which made it 1-1, wiping away referee Darren England's vanishing foam as the official lined up the wall.

Referees' body Professional Game Match Officials Limited told Forest VAR has no authority to intervene on restarts.

Brentford went on to win the match 3-2.

The VAR protocol set by the International Football Association Board (Ifab), which oversees the game's rules, says VAR has no authority to intervene on restarts, which England relayed to Forest staff.

"We have received a response from the incident, it is clear that the law says VAR cannot do anything about ball displacement," Santo said.

"That is something they should look at because it changes the reality of the game. But at the same time, we also have responsibility because we should have said something and avoided the free-kick to be taken.

"Too bad that the referee didn't spot it or the linesman. The referee should have seen it because there is a mark and there is clear ball displacement. It is finished, we move forward."


BBC
 

Belgian Pro League: Anderlecht v Genk replayed after VAR penalty error​

A Belgian Pro League match between Anderlecht and Genk will be replayed in full because of an error made by the video assistant referee.

The incident occurred in Genk's 2-1 defeat by Anderlecht at Lotto Park on 22 December when Yira Sor scored a rebound from a missed penalty.

VAR disallowed the goal because Genk's Sor encroached in the area but ignored encroachment by two Anderlecht players.

A Genk appeal based on the rules being "misapplied" by VAR was upheld.

Law 14.3 of the International Football Association Board states that if there is encroachment by both a defending and attacking player, the penalty kick should be retaken regardless of whether the kick is scored or not.

Genk said in a statement that the Disciplinary Council for Professional Football declared itself "competent to rule on the matter" which "overturned the earlier decision of the Professional Referee Department not to replay the match".

The statement added that the "council then followed Genk's argument that the match officials misapplied the rules at the penalty phase in question".

A date for the match to be replayed has not yet been agreed. Genk are fifth in Belgium's top flight, while record 34-times champions Anderlecht sit second.

In October, the Premier League refused to consider a replay after Liverpool's controversial defeat by Tottenham.

On that occasion VAR wrongly failed to overturn an on-field decision to rule out a Luis Diaz goal for offside because of "significant human error".

Source: BBC
 
VAR: In-stadium experience poor for fans - Premier League chief football officer

Video assistant referee decisions are taking too long and offer a poor in-stadium experience, a senior Premier League official says.

Chief football officer Tony Scholes feels VAR is largely positive addition to the Premier League.

He said that the number of correct decisions being made has increased from 82% in the period before it was introduced in 2019 to 96% now.

But he acknowledges "clearly everything in the world of VAR is not perfect".

The two areas of specific concern are the time taken to reach decisions and the experience of fans.

Although football's rule making body Ifab has extended the trial of stadium announcements by referees - where they confirm what decisions have been made - there are no plans for real-time audio to be released in the manner of international cricket or rugby.

Scholes feels it will eventually come but, for now, the Premier League can do nothing.



www.bbc.com

'In-stadium VAR experience poor for fans'

Video assistant referee decisions are taking too long and offer a "poor" in-stadium inexperience, the Premier League's chief football officer says.
www.bbc.com www.bbc.com
 
A huge decision in a clash between two title rivals but the chief of referees says match officials made the correct call.

1710890728926.png
 

What is VAR, how does it work and what are the biggest problems?​


Wolves manager Gary O’Neil proclaimed: “What is the point in VAR?” His side felt aggrieved after yet more decisions proved vital in defeat at Fulham. Newcastle boss Eddie Howe labelled a penalty against his own club in stoppage time against Paris Saint-Germain “a poor decision” which “looks completely different” in a slowed-down replay to officials watching on monitors.

The current situations come after an increase in the use of technology in football over the past few years but none seems to create as much heated debate and questioning as that of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR).

By and large, it is felt that minor and visible calls are improved across the course of the season with on-pitch referees getting extra help. However, there have been several high-profile incidents of late that have led to clubs, or personnel within them, complaining about the eventual decision or decision-making process, with another recent one coming in the Champions League.

Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag felt aggrieved that a number of calls went against them in their 4-3 defeat to FC Copenhagen, including a decision to send off Marcus Rashford for serious foul play.

But the other side of the debate is that - without their being absolute, specific lines on what is and isn’t a foul, where a decision should or shouldn’t be made and so on - the bar for where VAR intervenes and decides on disallowing inicidents (or not) appears far higher in the Premier League than in European competition.

It is widely felt on these shores that the penalty against Newcastle for PSG would not have been given in England, nor would Jarrell Quansah’s late goal for Liverpool against Toulouse have been chalked off for a handball against Alexis Mac Allister much earlier in build-up play. But neither of these instances occurred in the Premier League, and referees in Europe - under the Uefa banner - have different takes and different levels of interventions.

Here’s everything on VAR you need to know, including the latest causes for complaint against it.

What has gone wrong?

A lot, Newcastle felt aggrieved that a penalty was awarded for handball after a VAR review having not been given during open play, in the final minute of injury time in their 1-1 draw at PSG.

Earlier in the competition, Man United complained about Rashford’s red card, given out for stepping across and onto the foot and shin of an opponent. Ten Hag insisted his side had seen three “very debatable” penalties go against them in four games and called his forward’s sending off “very harsh”.

In domestic football, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta complained over “unacceptable” errors from on-pitch and VAR officials as his team lost to Newcastle, while Wolves boss O’Neil continues to feel unfairly treated by the use of the technology.

Earlier in the season he labelled a penalty decision given against his team and upheld by VAR as “scandalous” - also against Newcastle. VAR sent referee Michael Salisbury to the screen to award a penalty after Joao Gomes brought Harry Wilson down in the box, and Willian scored his second spot kick of the game to seal all three points for Fulham. O’Neil highlighted the decisions involving the late penalty, Carlos Vinicius’ alleged headbutt on Max Kilman and why Tim Ream did not receive a second yellow for a foul on Hwang Hee-Chan, while the Whites’ first penalty, awarded for a foul by Nelson Semedo on Tom Cairney, was also contentious. To note, VAR would never have intervened on Ream, as they only get involved for direct red card offences, not second yellows.

Ange Postecoglou suggested recently that clubs have to shoulder part of the blame for long stoppages for VAR, saying: “Some of it is self inflicted because if we come out every week complaining about decisions that is what will happen, every decision gets forensically checked and we will be sitting around for a long time in every game trying to figure out what is going on.”

However, it must be noted that the vast majority of these are subjective opinions and where Arteta sees fault, another manager, supporter or, indeed, official may see justification in decision.

One incident which was not subjective, but instead a quite clear mistake, came with Luis Diaz’s goal for Liverpool against Tottenham being ruled out for offside and then allowed to stay disallowed, despite the VAR officials running their processes and showing the forward was onside. The “significant human error” came as a result of the official, Darren England, appearing to forget that offside rather than a goal had been awarded in the first place.

To another extreme, Millie Bright criticised the fact there was no VAR in the first edition of the Women’s Nations League, after a clearly offside goal was allowed to stand against England which would have been simple to rule out.

Further clear VAR errors which PGMOL have had to apologise for include no penalty being awarded to Wolves against Man United after Andre Onana clattered Sasa Kalajdzic, a Brentford goal against Arsenal not being checked properly with no offside lines drawn and a West Ham late equaliser being ruled out for a foul, where none was apparent.

What has gone right?

In truth, a lot.

It’s overlooked when three or four calls are spot-on, when one causes serious complaint or at least is a subjective call which a majority seem to disagree with.

As an example, in the incident-packed Tottenham vs Chelsea fixture, several goals were correctly ruled out for offside through use - or checking - of VAR and the penalty awarded which saw Cristian Romero sent off was also a result of VAR intervention.

Generally speaking, these calls that are widely accepted as correct do not get highlighted, partially because the technology exists for that very reason: it’s expected to help officials make the right calls with a second look.

That doesn’t mean they don’t occur, though. The Premier League reported that 82 per cent of decisions were correct in the season before VAR was introduced, rising to 94 per cent being correct in 2019/20.

What is the process for VAR checks?

From the Premier League website: VAR will be used only for “clear and obvious errors” or “serious missed incidents” in four match-changing situations: goals; penalty decisions; direct red-card incidents; and mistaken identity.

When any of those match situations occur or potentially occur, VAR is constantly rewatching and monitoring match footage from the hub at Stockley Park.

If there is a decision to be made, the VAR or Assistant VAR (AVAR) will relay to the referee that play should be halted while checks are made, before recommending either an overturn, a pitchside check of the monitor for the ref or a continuation of play with the on-pitch original decision.

The video officials have until the ball goes dead to inform the referee that a check is underway if play is already ongoing.

The referee can then either check the monitor or accept the VAR recommendation. Upon reviewing the pitchside monitor, they may then stick with their own initial assessment or overturn the original, before communicating their new decision to the crowd.

What have PGMOL said?

The refereeing chief of Professional Game Match Officials Limited, Howard Webb, took over the role last year to improve the standard of officiating in the English game and to help oversee a smoother use of technology.

PGMOL confirmed to the League Managers’ Association “they are actively looking at how best to incorporate VARs into match-day refereeing teams, to ensure the dynamic between on-field referee and VAR is conducive to producing positive outcomes.”

After the Diaz incident, the organisation “acknowledge[d] a significant human error occurred” and brought in additional processes to ensure no repeat happened. They also released the audio of that incident, an “unusual step” according to Webb, “to show everybody what was very quickly pretty apparent to us, a human error and loss of concentration.”

www.independent.co.uk

What is VAR, how does it work and what are the biggest problems?

VAR continues to be a hot topic in the Premier League week after week, leading to the PGMOL coming under increasing pressure while Uefa’s officials have also been criticised for their handling
www.independent.co.uk www.independent.co.uk
 
What don't like about VAR, it can overturn very marginal decisions when maybe benefit of doubt should go to referee. Its supposed to for 'clear and obvious'.

I also don't like it when you think a goal has been scored, everyone is joyous and celebrating then it gets chopped off. It takes away that spontaneity of the moment.
 
The VAR decision against Coventry sucked all off the life and joy out of would have been a fairytale ending.
 
Forest offered chance to listen to VAR audio

Nottingham Forest will be offered the chance to privately hear VAR audio from three penalty claims in their match against Everton last Sunday.

On Monday, the club called for the audio between video assistant referee Stuart Attwell and on-field official Anthony Taylor to be released publicly.

Forest were furious after three penalty appeals were rejected in the 2-0 defeat at Goodison Park, which kept them just a point above the Premier League relegation zone.

The rulings sparked an angry post on the club's X account, where Forest said they were "considering their options" over "extremely poor" refereeing decisions.

It is understood that refereeing body Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) will give the club the opportunity to hear the audio in private, as it would with any other club making a similar request.

No decision has yet been taken on whether this audio will feature in the next edition of 'Match Officials Mic'd Up', a Premier League Productions programme that analyses VAR decisions from previous games, which will air next Tuesday evening.

In a statement released on Monday afternoon, Forest said of the audio: "The club has requested this be shared for three key match incidents - Ashley Young's challenge on Giovanni Reyna (24th minute), Ashley Young's handball (44th minute) and Ashley Young's challenge on Callum Hudson-Odoi (56th minute).

"We firmly advocate for the broader football community and supporters to have access to the audio and transcript for full transparency, ensuring the integrity of our sport is upheld."

It follows Liverpool's similar request when Luis Diaz's goal was incorrectly disallowed in their 2-1 defeat at Tottenham in September.

PGMOL believes that was an extreme case as it was a factual error, with the officials mistakenly stating an incorrect on-field decision around Diaz being offside should stand, when it should have been overturned.

Source: BBC
 

Uefa Board calls for improvement in VAR consistency​

The Uefa Football Board says VAR needs to become more "consistent, transparent and understandable" for players, fans and coaches.

The board, which is led by former players and elite-level coaches, met in Nyon, Switzerland on Monday.

It said that VAR should be used as a tool to help referees, and that "its interventions should not be perceived as a negative judgement on referees themselves".

"It is clear that not everything on the pitch may be seen by the referee," the statement added.

Uefa's comments come after a controversial weekend for video assistant referees (VAR) in the Premier League.

Nottingham Forest have asked for the audio between officials from Sunday’s defeat at Everton be released publicly, after they criticised VAR decisions on social media.

The Premier League said it was "extremely disappointed" by Forest's social media post but it has led to more debate surrounding the technology.

Coventry City also had a late goal ruled out for a marginal offside by VAR during their epic FA Cup semi-final against Manchester United on Sunday.

Everton manager Sean Dyche said the process is "a good thing for the outcomes of games" but added that he understood some frustrations.

"The idea of VAR was to tidy up as many decisions as possible, and statistically it's shown that it is doing that," said Dyche.

"I appreciate that it can get in the way of things from a supporter's point of view, but there has to be some form of getting these decisions right."

Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Gary O'Neil added: “The technology doesn’t seem to have cleared things up as we hoped it would.

"I’ve always thought VAR would be a big benefit to the game but maybe it hasn’t been as much of a benefit as much as I expected."

The board also called for an improvement in player behaviour towards referees and officials, and to reduce instances of diving and time-wasting.

"The behaviour of players and coaches towards match officials in several recent instances has become a critical issue and does not contribute positively to the good image of the game," the statement said.

"The Board concluded that it is important for coaches to set the example for their teams and for the mobbing of officials to be eliminated."

They also called for a player-led campaign to discourage "situations of players faking injuries to gain an unfair advantage, waste time and disrupt the flow of the game".

The meeting was chaired by Uefa football advisor and former Portugal player Luis Figo, and other representatives included Rafael Benitez, Rio Ferdinand, Jurgen Klinsmann and Patrick Vieira.

Source: BBC
 

Nuno feels vindicated after Forest's VAR anger​


Nuno Espirito Santo says he and Nottingham Forest feel vindicated after their furious complaints following the controversial defeat at Everton.

Forest had three penalty claims rejected in the 2-0 defeat, although the Key Match Incidents panel and referees’ chief Howard Webb have confirmed one of the decisions was wrong.

The club posted an angry statement on X - seen over 45m times - minutes after the final whistle last month claiming they told referees body the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) that the game's video assistant referee (VAR) Stuart Attwell was allegedly a fan of relegation rivals Luton.

Nuno also said the officials had "bad" games and confirmed he has responded to the Football Association’s request for observations after his post-match comments.

The FA asked for observations from defender Neco Williams and the club’s referee analyst Mark Clattenburg as well, but with Webb admitting one of the decisions - Ashley Young’s tackle on Callum Hudson-Odoi - should have been a penalty, Nuno believes their protests were justified.

“It’s nice when you have someone, an expert, saying they [the referees) got it wrong and what you said and saw was right," said Nuno, speaking before Saturday’s trip to Sheffield United with Forest a point above the relegation zone.

"It makes you feel more comfortable but it doesn’t give you back what happened.”

Nuno insisted he "still believes" all three decisions should have resulted in spot-kicks.

He added: "The PGMOL clearly said the third one was a penalty but unfortunately they [the officials on the day] got it wrong. It’s happened before when the panel has decided and said it was the other way round. We cannot be bothered by that.

“I always try to be respectful, I try to understand how hard the work of the referee is but this year it’s difficult. There are too many situations happening. I felt it was impossible to control the emotions and that’s why I’ve become so vocal.”

Nuno is now hoping to avoid a ban after submitting his response to the FA.

He said: “I read it, I agreed and I signed it. We are still waiting. Hopefully I don’t get punished and I can be on the touchline.”

Forest are expected to be charged by the FA and the Premier League for their outburst after the loss.

This week it was revealed the Key Match Incident Panel unanimously agreed Forest should have been given a penalty when Young brought down Hudson-Odoi in the 55th minute of their match at Goodison Park on 21 April.

The club called for the audio between video assistant referee Attwell and on-field official Anthony Taylor to be released publicly, with the PGMOL giving them the chance to listen to it privately.

Speaking on the Sky Sports' Mic'd Up programme on Tuesday, Webb said he would have welcomed a VAR intervention over the Young tackle.

Nuno has also called on Forest’s situation in the league to be resolved as they continue to wait for their appeal verdict.

They are yet to hear if their appeal against a four-point penalty for breaching profit and sustainability rules has been successful.

It was held last Wednesday in front of an independent commission, meaning the Premier League does not have control of the timescale.

Unlike the independent commission which heard Forest’s initial case, there is no seven-day timeframe for it to be resolved, but it will be finalised before the end of the season.

“It’s a mess. They had time enough. It’s a mess,” said Nuno, who has previously described the situation in similar terms. “It’s very difficult not only for us but for the league. It’s very hard to be in this situation.

“We’ve been dealing with this situation for a while, we have been expecting it to come sooner so we know exactly how many points we have. Do we have 30, 29, 28, 27? We need it as fast as possible.”

www.bbc.com

Nottingham Forest: Nuno says club feel vindicated over VAR anger

Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo says the club feel vindicated over their anger at the VAR decisions in the loss at Everton.
www.bbc.com
 
VAR has continued to be a hot topic in the Premier League throughout the season, leading to the PGMOL coming under increasing pressure while Uefa’s officials have also been criticised for their handling

Wolves manager Gary O’Neil proclaimed: “What is the point in VAR?” His side felt aggrieved after yet more decisions proved vital in defeat at Fulham. Newcastle boss Eddie Howe labelled a penalty against his own club in stoppage time against Paris Saint-Germain “a poor decision” which “looks completely different” in a slowed-down replay to officials watching on monitors.

The current situations come after an increase in the use of technology in football over the past few years but none seems to create as much heated debate and questioning as that of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR).

By and large, it is felt that minor and visible calls are improved across the course of the season with on-pitch referees getting extra help. However, there have been several high-profile incidents of late that have led to clubs, or personnel within them, complaining about the eventual decision or decision-making process, with another recent one coming in the Champions League.

Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag felt aggrieved that a number of calls went against them in their 4-3 defeat to FC Copenhagen, including a decision to send off Marcus Rashford for serious foul play.

But the other side of the debate is that - without their being absolute, specific lines on what is and isn’t a foul, where a decision should or shouldn’t be made and so on - the bar for where VAR intervenes and decides on disallowing inicidents (or not) appears far higher in the Premier League than in European competition.

It is widely felt on these shores that the penalty against Newcastle for PSG would not have been given in England, nor would Jarrell Quansah’s late goal for Liverpool against Toulouse have been chalked off for a handball against Alexis Mac Allister much earlier in build-up play. But neither of these instances occurred in the Premier League, and referees in Europe - under the Uefa banner - have different takes and different levels of interventions.

Here’s everything on VAR you need to know, including the latest causes for complaint against it.

A lot, Newcastle felt aggrieved that a penalty was awarded for handball after a VAR review having not been given during open play, in the final minute of injury time in their 1-1 draw at PSG.

Earlier in the competition, Man United complained about Rashford’s red card, given out for stepping across and onto the foot and shin of an opponent. Ten Hag insisted his side had seen three “very debatable” penalties go against them in four games and called his forward’s sending off “very harsh”.

In domestic football, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta complained over “unacceptable” errors from on-pitch and VAR officials as his team lost to Newcastle, while Wolves boss O’Neil continues to feel unfairly treated by the use of the technology.

Earlier in the season he labelled a penalty decision given against his team and upheld by VAR as “scandalous” - also against Newcastle. VAR sent referee Michael Salisbury to the screen to award a penalty after Joao Gomes brought Harry Wilson down in the box, and Willian scored his second spot kick of the game to seal all three points for Fulham. O’Neil highlighted the decisions involving the late penalty, Carlos Vinicius’ alleged headbutt on Max Kilman and why Tim Ream did not receive a second yellow for a foul on Hwang Hee-Chan, while the Whites’ first penalty, awarded for a foul by Nelson Semedo on Tom Cairney, was also contentious. To note, VAR would never have intervened on Ream, as they only get involved for direct red card offences, not second yellows.

Ange Postecoglou suggested recently that clubs have to shoulder part of the blame for long stoppages for VAR, saying: “Some of it is self inflicted because if we come out every week complaining about decisions that is what will happen, every decision gets forensically checked and we will be sitting around for a long time in every game trying to figure out what is going on.”

However, it must be noted that the vast majority of these are subjective opinions and where Arteta sees fault, another manager, supporter or, indeed, official may see justification in decision.

One incident which was not subjective, but instead a quite clear mistake, came with Luis Diaz’s goal for Liverpool against Tottenham being ruled out for offside and then allowed to stay disallowed, despite the VAR officials running their processes and showing the forward was onside. The “significant human error” came as a result of the official, Darren England, appearing to forget that offside rather than a goal had been awarded in the first place.

To another extreme, Millie Bright criticised the fact there was no VAR in the first edition of the Women’s Nations League, after a clearly offside goal was allowed to stand against England which would have been simple to rule out.

Further clear VAR errors which PGMOL have had to apologise for include no penalty being awarded to Wolves against Man United after Andre Onana clattered Sasa Kalajdzic, a Brentford goal against Arsenal not being checked properly with no offside lines drawn and a West Ham late equaliser being ruled out for a foul, where none was apparent.

It’s overlooked when three or four calls are spot-on, when one causes serious complaint or at least is a subjective call which a majority seem to disagree with.

As an example, in the incident-packed Tottenham vs Chelsea fixture, several goals were correctly ruled out for offside through use - or checking - of VAR and the penalty awarded which saw Cristian Romero sent off was also a result of VAR intervention.

Generally speaking, these calls that are widely accepted as correct do not get highlighted, partially because the technology exists for that very reason: it’s expected to help officials make the right calls with a second look.

That doesn’t mean they don’t occur, though. The Premier League reported that 82 per cent of decisions were correct in the season before VAR was introduced, rising to 94 per cent being correct in 2019/20.

From the Premier League website: VAR will be used only for “clear and obvious errors” or “serious missed incidents” in four match-changing situations: goals; penalty decisions; direct red-card incidents; and mistaken identity.

When any of those match situations occur or potentially occur, VAR is constantly rewatching and monitoring match footage from the hub at Stockley Park.

If there is a decision to be made, the VAR or Assistant VAR (AVAR) will relay to the referee that play should be halted while checks are made, before recommending either an overturn, a pitchside check of the monitor for the ref or a continuation of play with the on-pitch original decision.

The video officials have until the ball goes dead to inform the referee that a check is underway if play is already ongoing.

The referee can then either check the monitor or accept the VAR recommendation. Upon reviewing the pitchside monitor, they may then stick with their own initial assessment or overturn the original, before communicating their new decision to the crowd.

The refereeing chief of Professional Game Match Officials Limited, Howard Webb, took over the role last year to improve the standard of officiating in the English game and to help oversee a smoother use of technology.

PGMOL confirmed to the League Managers’ Association “they are actively looking at how best to incorporate VARs into match-day refereeing teams, to ensure the dynamic between on-field referee and VAR is conducive to producing positive outcomes.”

After the Diaz incident, the organisation “acknowledge[d] a significant human error occurred” and brought in additional processes to ensure no repeat happened. They also released the audio of that incident, an “unusual step” according to Webb, “to show everybody what was very quickly pretty apparent to us, a human error and loss of concentration.”

www.independent.co.uk

What is VAR, how does it work and what are the biggest problems?

VAR continues to be a hot topic in the Premier League, leading to the PGMOL implementing changes for the 2024/25 season after coming under increasing pressure for their handling of the technology
www.independent.co.uk www.independent.co.uk
 
Premier League clubs to vote on scrapping VAR

Premier League clubs will vote on whether to scrap video assistant referees (VAR) from next season at their annual general meeting next month.

Wolves have formally submitted a resolution to the Premier League which will trigger a vote when the 20 member clubs meet in Harrogate on 6 June.

The club said VAR was introduced "in good faith" but has led to "numerous unintended negative consequences that are damaging the relationship between fans and football".

VAR was introduced in 2019 to help support on-field officials with key match decisions, but there have been a number of controversial incidents involving the technology this season.

"The price we are paying for a small increase in accuracy is at odds with the spirit of our game," read a Wolves statement.

The Premier League said it "acknowledged the concerns" about VAR but "fully supports" technology and will continue to work with referees' body PGMOL to make improvements.


BBC
 
VAR in or out?

What do you suggest?

IMO, technology is something that always has room to get better and it is getting better with every passing day. So I will not scrap VAR.
 
Even stevie wonder can see that the issue in England isn't VAR, its the poor standards of referees who can't make simple decisions right on or off the field.
 

FIFA holds first trials of VAR challenge system for reviews​


FIFA has held the first trials of a new system of VAR which allows coaches to challenge a referee's decision, rather than the reviews only being undertaken by video officials.

The IFAB, football's lawmakers, committed to the endorsement of an additional "VAR light" -- which required fewer resources -- at its AGM in March 2023, with the intention of making it available across the game worldwide.

The new system, Football Video Support (VS), allows for the same situations to be challenged as in VAR -- goals, penalties, red cards and mistaken identity. Each team will be able to make two challenges per match. If the challenge is successful, the team keeps that review.

The decision to request a review is the responsibility of the coach, who does so by twirling a finger in the air and giving the fourth official a card. The coach then says which kind of incident he wants to be reviewed. The players can recommend to the coach that a review is made, but activating it will remain with the coach. A replay operator would ensure the correct footage is shown.

Pierluigi Collina, FIFA's head of referees, said the first tests held during the Blue Stars/FIFA Youth Cup, a FIFA youth competition in Zurich last week, went well.

"The outcome was very, very positive," Collina explained at the FIFA Congress in Bangkok. "Our aim is to continue to trial this new system, namely in our youth competitions.

"We hope to be able to give all of you who have indicated an interest in the possibility to implement this system in your competitions."

For now the challenge system is an internal FIFA trial and there is no option for leagues or competitions to request to be part of it, and there are no plans to introduce it at the top of the game.

VS is not intended to replace the version of VAR seen at the elite level, where there are the resources to have multiple cameras and officials working as video assistants.

However, it will give hope to leagues who have requested to trial a challenge system but have been repeatedly turned down by FIFA. Serie A first made the request to implement challenges in 2020, believing it would be less intrusive in the game.

If the trials prove successful and move through the levels to enter the Laws of the Game there would be no reason why a league couldn't chose to implement "VAR light" over the full system.

www.espn.com

FIFA holds first trials of VAR challenge system

FIFA has held the first trials of a new system of VAR which allows coaches to challenge a referee's decision, rather than the reviews being undertaken by video officials.
www.espn.com www.espn.com
 
Wolves set to fail in bid to scrap Premier League VAR

Premier League clubs are unlikely to vote through Wolves' proposal to scrap the use of the video assistant referee when member clubs meet at an annual general meeting on Thursday, 6 June, but in-game VAR announcements are set to be introduced.

Wolves formally submitted a resolution to the Premier League in May, which triggered a vote on retaining the use of VAR.

However, while Wolves stand by their decision to raise the issues after a string of decisions went against them last season, it is thought the club have little chance of getting the 14 votes needed for their proposal to be accepted.

BBC Sport understands Manchester City, Arsenal and Tottenham are among clubs who want to keep VAR, but are demanding that improvements are made.

One other Premier League club has said the VAR system at the moment "isn’t working" and there "clearly are issues" with the system.

While Wolves' proposal is set for defeat, most clubs believe the current situation needs a major overhaul and Howard Webb, head of refereeing body PGMOL, has said changes to VAR are being looked at.


www.bbc.com

Premier League: Wolves set to lose bid to scrap VAR

Wolves are unlikely to find enough support from other Premier League clubs to scrap the use of VAR.
www.bbc.com
 
100 more wrong decisions if VAR scrapped - Premier League

There would be 100 more incorrect refereeing decisions made per season if clubs vote to scrap video assistant referees (VAR), the Premier League has claimed.

The league sent a briefing document to all 20 clubs before the annual general meeting on Thursday, 6 June, explaining the reasons why it feels VAR should remain.

Wolves formally submitted a resolution to the Premier League in May, which triggered a vote on the continued use of VAR.

Premier League clubs are unlikely to vote through this proposal, though in-game VAR announcements are set to be introduced.


BBC
 
Social media explanations - what is new with VAR this season?

The 2023-24 Premier League season ended with Wolves triggering a vote to scrap the use of Video Assistant Referees (VAR) after a season of acrimony around the standard of refereeing and impact of technology on football.

Wolves lost the vote 19-1 but the Premier League promised to improve VAR.

As VAR enters its sixth season in the top flight, the Premier League says fans can expect quicker decisions, fewer interventions and "near-live" explanations of VAR calls on social media platform X.

BBC Sport outlines the key talking points and changes, following briefings with the Premier League and referees' chief Howard Webb this week.

Quick reminder of last season's controversies...

There were several flashpoints last season:

  • Wolves boss Gary O'Neil called one VAR offside decision "the worst he had ever seen" and was banned for his behaviour
  • Liverpool had a goal against Tottenham incorrectly ruled offside due to "significant human error" - prompting an apology, review and widespread fallout
  • In February, Premier League chief football officer Tony Scholes acknowledged VAR decisions were taking too long and the in-stadium experience of fans was "poor"
  • Forest and their manager Nuno were charged, with the club's referee advisor Mark Clattenburg eventually leaving the club, in the aftermath of being denied three penalties in a defeat by Everton. Forest claimed VAR Stuart Attwell was a fan of Luton - one of their relegation rivals - and former Premier League official Clattenburg called the decisions a "joke"
  • Liverpool, Arsenal, Wolves and Forest all issued official club statements criticising refereeing standards and VAR
The stats: 'VAR corrected more than 100 mistakes last season'

The Premier League said its own figures showed the number of correct decisions in matches was at 96%, compared to 82% before VAR was introduced.

It claimed there were only five incorrect VAR interventions last season, compared to 105 correct calls - an improvement on 2022-23, with 11 wrong VAR decisions to 105 which were right.

"There were actually less errors last year than before. A small number of incidents live large in the memory," Webb added.

He also said that match officials, including VAR, "only actually take away one in every 25 goals".

The league's chief football officer Scholes said the system will "never be perfect" but claimed that "four out of five want to keep VAR, based on our independent study".

He added: "That says one in five would get rid of it and that’s a big minority. And most of the four out of five say we need to improve it."

Scholes accepts that VAR "comes with a cost", but explained: "The cost is partly inevitable – there are delays to the game, the supporter experience is poor. We know that and we’re not going to get rid of that, it’s an inevitable part of VAR. But our job is to minimise it.

"Our job is to make sure the delays are reduced to the point of reasonableness and the supporter experience is improved as well."

So how will those two points be addressed?

It was also announced this week that the Premier League Match Centre, external account on social media platform X will post "near-live" explanations of VAR decisions.

The sport's lawmakers Ifab have ruled out broadcasting the in-game discussions between officials as "too chaotic", but are continuing trials of referees announcing decisions to the crowd, as seen in the 2023 Women's World Cup.

So for now, Scholes and Webb say that to improve the experience for fans at top-flight games this season they plan to "put more replays on the big screens" and make more use of social media.

Scholes said the Premier League are "potentially" going to trial in-game announcements, but not yet because "with the changes we're making we don't want to put additional pressure on the referees".

Webb hosts a regular show called Match Officials Mic'd Up which plays out the audio discussions between referees and the VAR around selected key decisions.

Will we see less VAR this season?

Since VAR was introduced, the guidance for its use has always been to correct "clear and obvious errors". That measurement can also be subjective.

'Clear and obvious' remains the key test. But Scholes said they have a "six-point plan" approved by clubs and explained to players, which includes:

  • Introducing a 'referee's call' approach similar to cricket with VAR as a "safety net"
  • Making sure people understand VAR will not achieve perfection
  • "Redefining" when VAR should step in
  • "Reaffirming a high bar" for VAR intervention - not on referee's "judgement calls"
Scholes explained: "When we do see [VAR] we'll see it applied quicker so that the delays that occurred after the incident at Liverpool last year which damaged everybody... I think you'll see a reduction in delays and fewer VAR interventions."

Webb added: "You don't see it that much in the Premier League anyway, our intervention levels are less than pretty much every other league anywhere.

"What you will see is more efficiency. We know here that people don't want forensic examination when that's not necessary. We're looking for those clear errors that should jump off the screen and if that doesn't exist in the situation then check complete and we move on."

What about the speed of decisions?

In a briefing document issued by the Premier League to its 20 clubs before last season's vote to scrap VAR, it said the average delay to a game for a single VAR check lasted 64 seconds in the 2023‑24 season.

That was longer than the 40-second average in 2022-23.

Webb said: "There was undoubtedly more caution shown by the officials after that [Liverpool's Luis Diaz] situation.

"I think fundamentally a lot of the frustration comes not out of the final decision - when people take a step back they know the game throws up debate - but sometimes it can slow the game down, it can take up time to get to that decision and even if it is correct in the vast majority, if it's taken too long to get there it can get frustrating."

When will semi-automated offsides be introduced?

One area that has been shown to improve speed and accuracy is semi-automated offside technology (SAOT).

It will not be in place for the start of the new season, but Scholes said the "expectation" was for October.

Fifa first used the technology at the 2022 men's World Cup in Qatar and it was also in operation at the men's Euros this summer.

It is anticipated SAOT could cut the length of a VAR check for offside by 31 seconds. It saves officials time drawing offside lines on monitors.

Scholes added: "We're going to bring it in when we're absolutely certain that it will work properly and improve things. We'll be testing it through the first match rounds of the year, it will be working in the background.

"We're bringing in a new system, a different system which is more accurate than the system which is in use in other competitions."

BBC
 

Not fair to criticise VAR just because you don’t like final decision, says Howard Webb​


Howard Webb has said much of the criticism of VAR is because people don’t like the outcome of a decision, as the head of the Professional Game Match Officials Ltd (PGMOL) tries to rebuild trust in refereeing in the Premier League.

Webb, the chief refereeing officer, has announced a series of measures before the new season intended to speed up VAR decisions and clarify the criteria on which decisions are taken. But he has also pushed back against criticism of the video technology.

Managers and players have all been warned by the Premier League this summer that generalised criticism of VAR is undermining faith in the technology and increasing pressure on referees. Webb also argues that the criticism is often misplaced.

“Some of the criticism we get around VAR is simply because people don’t like the final outcome,” Webb said. “I think they expected when this thing came in to always agree with the final outcome. That’s simply not possible, that’s not a position we can ever get to.

“The criticism that we get around not rectifying clear errors is a justifiable one if we don’t do that and our aim is always to do that more. If it’s around efficiency, then yes, we can always work to be more efficient. But if it’s around the fact that people don’t agree with the final outcome that’s not a fair justification if it relates to situations that are subjective.

“We’ve seen that time and time again where opinions are split on situations. The referee’s call pleases some people in terms of what they expect the outcome to be but other people don’t agree with it and if we flipped it then that ratio would reverse.”

Using the phrase “referee’s call” is one small tweak to the language around VAR that will be adopted in the Premier League this season, to clarify that referees – and not video analysts – have primacy in decision making. VARs have also been advised to spend less time scrutinising footage to look for possible infringements.

“We think that the fact we can use ‘referee’s call’ emphasises to the officials as well that one, they have to make a call, because they do,” Webb said. “Secondly to the VARs, [the message is] leave that decision alone unless it jumps out as being clearly wrong. Don’t micro-analyse, don’t be forensic around your analysis of the situation.”'

Other measures announced include new graphics broadcast in stadiums to explain overturned decisions to fans and a more lenient approach to the controversial handball rule where, for example, players will no longer be punished if the ball strikes their arm after deflecting off another body part.

In a first, PGMOL has also published the criteria by which it assesses referees’ affiliations before selecting them for a given match. The move follows the heated controversy over Stuart Attwell’s selection as VAR for Nottingham Forest’s defeat against Everton last season, where Forest accused Attwell of being a supporter of their relegation rivals Luton and argued he should have been barred. The published rules show that only a match “directly” involving a club where the referee has “indicated an active interest in seeing that club achieve success” would prevent their selection.

www.theguardian.com

Not fair to criticise VAR just because you don’t like final decision, says Howard Webb

Howard Webb has hit back at criticism of VAR when it is just because managers ‘don’t like the final decision’
www.theguardian.com www.theguardian.com
 
Referees must stop relying on VAR - Clattenburg

Former Premier League official Mark Clattenburg says referees "have a responsibility" to get back to trusting their own decisions and "not rely on VAR".

The Premier League and referees chief Howard Webb said there would be fewer video assistant referee interventions this season, with more support for a referee's judgment and quicker decisions as they look to make improvements to the system.

Clattenburg was appointed Nottingham Forest's referee analyst in February, but stepped down in May, amid focus on his critical comments of some referees.

Speaking to BBC Sport, Clattenburg said: "The referees have a responsibility, starting this weekend, to get as many decisions right on the field and not rely on VAR. Then VAR will work every so many games, not once or twice a game as we saw last season.

"What I found (last season) was the referees weren't making the split-second decisions like they used to do and it was going to VAR.

"VAR was then saying there isn't the line of intervention where I want to come in because the referee isn't clearly wrong.

"So you get these inconsistencies and anger from the fans.

"The biggest message I got from the statements Howard and his team is they want the referees to go back and give the decisions."


www.bbc.com

VAR: Mark Clattenburg says referees must stop relying on VAR

With changes to VAR for the new Premier League season, former referee Mark Clattenburg speaks to BBC Sport.
www.bbc.com
 
Nottingham Forest Fined Over Social Media Criticism Of VAR Official

Nottingham Forest were fined 750,000 pounds ($980,000) on Friday and warned over their future conduct after criticising VAR official Stuart Attwell on social media last season. Forest were furious not to be awarded three penalties during a 2-0 defeat at Everton in April as they battled to preserve their Premier League status. At the time, Nuno Espirito Santo's side were embroiled in a tense relegation fight with Everton, Luton and several other teams.

After the game, Forest posted on their official X account: "Three extremely poor decisions - three penalties not given - which we simply cannot accept.

"We warned the PGMOL that the VAR (Attwell) is a Luton fan before the game but they didn't change him. Our patience has been tested multiple times. NFFC will now consider its options."

Forest denied that their comments about Attwell brought the game into disrepute by "implying bias and/or questioning the integrity of match officials".

But an independent regulatory commission found the Football Association charge proven on Friday.

Forest responded by announcing they will appeal against the sanction.


sports.ndtv.com

Nottingham Forest Fined Over Social Media Criticism Of VAR Official | Football News

Nottingham Forest were furious not to be awarded three penalties during a 2-0 defeat at Everton in April as they battled to preserve their Premier League status.
sports.ndtv.com sports.ndtv.com
 
Premier League VAR errors down 80% - referees' chief

Referees' chief Howard Webb says there has been an 80% reduction in the number of video assistant referee (VAR) errors this season.

It has now been five years since VAR was introduced in the Premier League, but the system and the way it is used continues to attract plenty of debate.

According to the independent Key Match Incidents panel (KMI), there were 31 incorrect uses of VAR during the 2023-24 season.

In June Premier League clubs voted 19-1 in favour of keeping VAR after Wolverhampton Wanderers triggered a vote to scrap it.

An independent survey commissioned by the Premier League suggested that four out of five fans want to keep VAR in the league.

The Premier League has started explaining VAR decisions using a dedicated social media channel, but the introduction of semi-automated offside technology (SAOT) - originally scheduled for after either the October or November international break - has been delayed until 2025.

Webb - chief refereeing officer at Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) - has claimed that mistakes are down 80% this season.

"I don’t think we managed expectations well in terms of VAR," the former Premier League referee told the Stick to Football podcast, external.

"We knew it was always going to be a situation where it was going to do well on those clear situations, the ones where you think, 'that’s clearly wrong on first view'. We're good at spotting those most of the time.

"We have this independent panel which has got ex-players on it, and they judge each decision each week, and according to the panel - which is independent from us [PGMOL] - there has only been two VAR errors this season compared to 10 at the same time last year."

Webb added that greater emphasis has been placed on reducing the time taken to reach decisions.

"We’ve been better at hitting the mark but that can change and we’re not going to get complacent, but it’s been better," said Webb.

"For me, the biggest thing of all is that it’s been quicker. The average delay last season through VAR was 70 seconds per game and this year it’s 25 seconds. It's way better.

"I said to the guys, 'don’t ponder for too long, if you see a situation that jumps off the screen at you then get involved, but if you’re having to think about it too much and analyse it too many times then just say check complete because we’ll leave it with the referee on the field'. That’s why the term, 'referee’s call' is useful."

'I was frustrated' - Webb on Fernandes red card

Though overall errors are down, Webb admitted that VAR failed to intervene when Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes was sent off against Tottenham Hotspur last month.

Referee Chris Kavanagh showed Fernandes a straight red card in the 42nd minute for a late challenge on Tottenham's James Maddison.

The Portuguese midfielder appeared to catch Maddison with a high studs-up challenge, but replays showed that Fernandes actually caught him with the side of his boot.

VAR Peter Bankes and assistant VAR Simon Long did not overturn the decision because they mistakenly thought it did not meet the threshold for an on-field review.

"We released the audio, you can hear the assistant referee - who's got a good view of it - just saying 'that looks awful, 100% red [card] for me'," said Webb.

"From his angle it looked it, because it looks like the studs have gone in. But then there's another angle shown on the replay on Sky Sports. Straight away I've gone 'that'll be an overturn', but it wasn't.

"I was frustrated that we didn't step in to rectify it because it was clearly wrong in my opinion. He slipped, he tried to trip him but it was the side of the foot and he didn't drive the studs in. If he had then it would have been a red card."

United went on to lose the match 3-0 and Fernandes' red card was overturned on appeal two days later. He was sent off during United's next match, a 3-3 draw with Porto in the Europa League.

BBC
 
VAR misread West Ham penalty against Man Utd - Webb

Referees' chief Howard Webb says West Ham should not have been awarded a penalty during Erik ten Hag's final game in charge of Manchester United on 27 October.

The Hammers were given the decision on the recommendation of video assistant referee Michael Oliver following Matthijs de Ligt's challenge on Danny Ings.

David Coote, the on-field referee, had waved play on following the incident but awarded a penalty after reviewing the incident on the pitch-side monitor.

Jarrod Bowen scored the penalty, sealing a 2-1 win for West Ham. Ten Hag was sacked less than 24 hours later.

"I thought it was a misread by the VAR," Webb told Sky Sports' Mic'd Up programme.

"A VAR that's normally really talented and reliable, but gets uber-focused in this situation on De Ligt's leg. His leg coming through on to Danny Ings, not making any contact with the ball. The ball's already past De Ligt as he as he makes contact with Danny Ings.

"And the VAR sees that as a clear foul. I think he was too focused on that aspect. I don't think he should have got involved.

"I think this is a situation where we'd leave the on-field decision as it is, probably whichever way it's called. On balance, I don't think it's a penalty kick."

On-field referees are not required to follow the recommendations of the VAR official.

"They are told that they are absolutely within their rights to keep their decision when they go to the screen," said Webb.

Webb, who is chief of refereeing body PGMOL, was speaking publicly for the first time since Coote was suspended with immediate effect after he appeared to make derogatory comments about Liverpool and their former manager Jurgen Klopp in a video that circulated online.

"We became aware of a video that was being circulated on social media that we are taking very seriously," said Webb.

"We've instigated a full investigation. One of our referees, David Coote, has been suspended with immediate effect pending the outcome of that investigation.

"There's not much more I can say at this stage until we've worked through that investigation."

BBC
 
Trials of budget VAR alternative to be extended

Trials of a low-cost alternative to football's video assistant referee are to be extended, with the pilot system allowing managers two challenges per game.

Rule maker Ifab has been encouraged by results of early tests of the 'football video support' set-up at the Women's Under-17 World Cup in October.

It is designed for use in competitions where matches are covered by up to four cameras, rather than the huge multi-camera systems used in the major leagues.

That would include matches in the English Football League and National League.

Ifab - the International Football Association Board - has yet to decide where the trials, set to be launched next season, will be extended.

Its technical director and former English top-flight official David Elleray said it was likely to be "a smaller country" or somewhere like "league three in Italy".

Managers would be allowed to request a challenge, with the on-pitch referee then reviewing the incident in question on a pitchside monitor, with the material supplied by a video technician.

As with tennis and cricket, if a challenge is upheld, the manager would retain two challenges. If they lose, the challenge would be lost.

"With the best will in the world, VAR will only ever be affordable at the top levels in some countries - and in some other countries it won't be affordable at all," said Patrick Nelson, chief executive of the Irish Football Association.

"This system would be available for games that are only covered by maybe one, two, three or four cameras.

"That would include lots of leagues around the world and it goes three or four levels down a pyramid. It really democratises the idea of supporting referees to make better decisions."

Ifab believes there is a twin benefit of the system as, in addition to the reduced cost, it also limits the number of officials required to use the system. This is especially important in areas that have a finite number of suitably qualified referees.

However, a hybrid system for the major leagues, with VAR used to determine decisions but a manager's challenge also introduced, has been ruled out.

Elleray said: "There's no reason to have challenges with VAR because the video match officials check every single incident."

Ifab also believes authorisation for the challenges should rest with the manager or coach on the sideline rather than the players.

"You wouldn't want the referee to be pressured every five seconds by a player saying 'look at this, look at this, look at this'. So it's down to the coach to make that choice of when to make a challenge," added Elleray.

"We can all think of examples where you see a still picture somewhere from a single camera and say 'maybe the referee hasn't spotted that one - and that's a clear offside'. Or 'that isn't offside and they've given offside'."


BBC
 
Arsenal and Newcastle set for VAR announcement trial in Carabao Cup

English football is set to trial in-stadium VAR announcements for the first time during the Carabao Cup semi-finals next week.

The move will see referees use the public address system to announce their final decisions, whether made at the pitchside VAR monitor or based on factual determinations, such as handball by a goalscorer or offside infractions where an attacker has touched the ball.

The EFL confirmed that this pilot will run across both legs of the ties between Arsenal and Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool. Referees have reportedly undergone extensive preparation, including specialised training camps and match-related exercises in club stadiums, to ensure the successful implementation of this significant change.


dailycannon.com

Arsenal and Newcastle set for VAR announcement trial in Carabao Cup

Arsenal and Newcastle’s Carabao Cup clash will feature a groundbreaking VAR trial, with referees announcing decisions live to fans for the first time in English football.
dailycannon.com dailycannon.com
 

Norway top-flight clubs vote to scrap VAR amid fan outrage​

Norway is set to become the first country to abandon VAR after 19 of its 32 clubs voted Wednesday to scrap video refereeing in the country's top division.

Following a four-month consultation period involving clubs, players and supporters' groups, clubs from Norway's first and second tier voted on whether to scrap VAR, and the outcome of the vote led to a recommendation that the Norwegian Football Federation (NFF) rubber-stamp the result.

The NFF is expected to make a final decision in March, although sources told ESPN that the governing body could yet overrule the vote.

Norway's top division, the Eliteserien, introduced VAR in 2023, but fans across the country have been vocal in their opposition to the system.

Earlier this season, Rosenborg's game against Lillestrøm was abandoned because supporters threw fish cakes onto the pitch in protest of VAR. Other fixtures were interrupted by champagne corks, croissants and tennis balls being thrown onto the pitch.

The fan unrest led to the consultation period and the prospect of the NFF scrapping VAR.

Source: ESPN
 
13 VAR mistakes in Premier League so far this season

There have been 13 video assistant referee (VAR) mistakes in the Premier League so far this season - down from 20 at the same point last term - say league bosses.

Four incorrect VAR interventions and nine missed interventions from the first 23 rounds of games have been found by the competition's Key Match Incidents (KMI) panel.

There have been 70 VAR interventions in 239 league games this season - around one every three matches.

The league says the accuracy of 'Key Match Incidents' is at 96.4% - up from 95.7% at the corresponding point last term.

"Nobody here underestimates the significance and the impact of one single error," said chief football officer Tony Scholes said.

"We know that one single error can cost clubs. Points and results can cost managers positions, potentially players their place."

In Erik ten Hag's case, that was literally what happened - one of the four mistakes was the penalty given against his Manchester United side in what proved to be his final match in charge.

Referees have also been subject to abuse, with police recently investigating "threats and abuse" directed at Michael Oliver following Arsenal's 1-0 win over Wolves in January.

Oliver controversially sent off Gunners defender Myles Lewis-Skelly - a decision that was later reversed on appeal.

Former referee David Coote was sacked by the referees' body in December after a "thorough investigation" into his conduct.

Asked about trust in officials, Scholes said: "We all have a responsibility to have some balance in the comments that are made.

"We cannot have the officials, such a key part of a successful and entertaining league, facing the kind of abuse that occurs on occasion.

"These guys are good. I know that is not always the perception, but the rest of the world recognise how good they are."

The Premier League declined to list the nine missed interventions, but did outline the four errors to media.


www.bbc.com

Premier League: 13 VAR mistakes in total in season so far, say chiefs

There have been a total of 13 video assistant referee (VAR) mistakes in the Premier League so far this season, say league bosses.
www.bbc.com
 

VAR official seen scrolling through betting site as shocking footage from top flight surfaces live on TV​

A VAR official has landed in hot water after appearing to scroll through a betting site on live TV.

A Bulgarian official is alleged to have been spotted using the site moments before kick-off between CSKA Sofia and Lokomotiv Sofia.

He was suspended after footage of the incident began to circulate on social media.

Hawk-Eye Innovations, which is responsible for the VAR system in the Bulgarian First League, explained the decision in a letter to the Bulgarian Football Union.

It said: “Hawk-Eye Innovations acknowledges with regret an incident involving one of its VAR operators during the Parva Liga match between PFC CSKA-Sofia and PFC Lokomotiv Sofia yesterday evening (2nd April 2025).

“Live footage from the camera situation in the VAR operations room documented the individual utilising a personal smartphone during the match and appearing to engage in inappropriate activities which would constitute gross misconduct in relation to the responsibilities of their assigned role.”

The company said it would investigate the official during his suspension, as reported by NeedToKnow.

It added: “If the individual has been found to have been engaging in such inappropriate activity, we will look to dismiss the individual in accordance with their contractual terms.”

Fans were shocked by the revelation with one saying: "Lol that's wild."

Another added: "Everything you need to know about VAR..."

A third wrote: "Nah this is some nasty business."

And another commented: "We are in a very bad situation…"

Source: THE SUN
 
'We don't referee differently with VAR'

Match officials do not referee matches any differently despite the "safety net" of video assistant referees, says retired Premier League official Darren Cann.

Cann, 56, retired this month after over 1,000 games as an assistant referee, including a record 579 in the Premier League.

The VAR system was introduced in the Premier League at the start of the 2019-20 season.

There is often a suggestion that referees do not make a decision on the pitch because they know VAR should make the right one.

"Not everybody likes VAR and I accept that view," Cann told BBC Sport.

"But from a match official's point of view, it is a really valuable tool.

"I would like to dispel a myth. People think we referee differently because there is VAR but nothing could be further from the truth.

"My mindset is to eradicate VAR from that 90 minutes by getting my decisions right. Our mindset is to make the right decision.

"If we do make a clear and obvious error we do have the safety net of VAR."

Cann has welcomed the introduction of semi-automated offside, which came into the Premier League on the weekend of his final game.

The technology uses artificial intelligence and special cameras to make the judgement of tight offside calls quicker and easier.

"In previous seasons it could take up to 50 seconds just to draw the lines before they came to a decision," said Cann.

"With semi-automated offside the lines are automatically drawn at the point where the ball is kicked. That speeds up the checks.

"It won't affect the assistant referees on the pitch. They still make their calls. But it does speed up the checks."

Cann's biggest two games came in 2010 - the Champions League final and World Cup final.

"Before VAR I got an offside wrong in a Premier League game that still haunts me to this day," said Cann.

"It was only half a yard and was one of those where a forward and defender cross over at high speed. I just got my timing wrong and flagged when I shouldn't have.

"I lost concentration. That is 20 years ago and it still hurts."


BBC
 
Referee Madley says he 'hates' VAR

Referee Bobby Madley has said he "hates" the video assistant referee technology in football because it takes the "emotion away" from the game.

Madley officiates matches in the English Football League (EFL) and is a fourth official for Premier League games.

The EFL does not use VAR in regular league games, whereas it has been employed across matches in England's top flight since the start of the 2019-20 season.

"As a fan, hate it, hate it. Love the Championship, love League One - I'm still a fan," said Madley, who was speaking at the Cheltenham Science Festival during an event on technology in sport.

"I love League One because you score a goal, you look at the referee, you look at the assistant, he hasn't put his flag up, it's a goal.

"It [VAR] takes that emotion away from it and football is a game where there could be one moment in the game, one goal, and that's it.

"To take that emotion away, to have to wait and wait, and what feels like an eternity, as a fan I'm not a huge fan of that experience."

Madley refereed 91 Premier League matches between 2013 and 2018 until he was sacked by Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) after sending a video mocking a disabled person to a friend.

He moved to Norway and officiated in the country's lower league before accepting an opportunity to return to English football as a National List referee in February 2020.

He took charge of one Premier League game in 2022-23 and another the following season but did not referee a top-flight match in 2024-25.

"There's so much money in football, it's business-driven. So any mistake is perceived to cost people money," added Madley.

"And I don't think most football fans were clambering over each other to get video technology.

"The players weren't, the referees weren't, but the people who run football, they are multimillion-pound and billion-pound people, and they had issues with referees getting things wrong.

"I think we've got to the stage where people go, 'Sorry, we're ruining football with this now'.

"But we knew the monster that had been created. As referees, we knew what was coming."


www.bbc.com

Referee Bobby Madley says he "hates" VAR

Referee Bobby Madley says he "hates" the video assistant referee technology in football because it takes the "emotion away" from the game.
www.bbc.com www.bbc.com
 
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