Virtual Assistant Referee (“VAR”) The 12th Player – Swipe Left or Swipe Right?
The introduction of VAR technology to the World Cup merits an early evaluation now that almost half of the matches have been played and all the teams now have two matches under their belt. The argument to be debated is that “The VAR is good and necessary for the game as it confirms without a reasonable doubt the true violations or lack thereof in questionable on field referee calls or lack thereof. That it contributes to the integrity of the game by eliminating bias and controversy.”
The football Purist (e.g. Alan Shearer) will say that the VAR influences the game in ways that depart from tradition. For instance, it slows down and interrupts an otherwise uniquely fluid game. In so doing it may change the rhythm and momentum of the game primarily in favor of the team that is behind. It may psychologically intimidate the on-field referee to be calling every infraction by the book without applying context and common sense. A good referee is one who avoids player or manager protests, playacting and time-wasting tactics.
The football Reformer (e.g. Gary Lineker) will say that the referee is only human, he or she can’t have a clear view from all angles of a questionable infraction. Technology is progress and VAR ensures the absolute integrity of the call. VAR eliminates manipulation by players (diving) and referee bias.
Footie-Fanatic.com opinion is that in a world rapidly being driven by technology traditional nostalgia must give way to progress. We believe that the introduction of VAR is a good thing but with some serious caveats. With half of the matches having been played the VAR has significantly influenced directly or indirectly the outcome of some matches. Ask Morocco of (in their mind) being robbed by an on-field referee disallowing for offside a last-minute Spanish goal only to be overruled by the VAR to deprive Morocco of a historic World Cup win. The VAR has already over ruled the on-field referee four or more times by awarding a penalty kick upon review. 17 penalty kicks have already been awarded before the half way compared to 13 penalty kicks in the entire 2014 World Cup in Brazil. The number of foul calls seems excessive compared to past World Cups, we think that this also is influenced by the VAR
We believe that there exists a potential conflict between the VAR and the on-field referee. A referee will always be reluctant to allow the VAR to nullify a penalty call he or she made no matter the video evidence. Doing so will be a self-admission of a bad call or a potential bias. By contrast the on-field referee will likely welcome the VAR calling a penalty that he or she missed. VAR overrides will surely become a statistical factor in evaluating the referee’s performance, ranking and match assignments and therefore may influence referees’ on-field decisions for fear of the wrath of his superiors and the media.
We continue to be pro-VAR especially as it relates to calling offsides, but we recommend a few simple adjustments that can be implemented immediately while the World Cup is still in progress:
My rant of the World Cup at the end of the Group Stage -Has technology changed the beautiful game and not to the better?
The overwhelming number of penalty kicks (25 compared to 13 in all of the 2014 World Cup) awarded by either the on-field referee or through a VAR override is not a statistical aberration but rather a direct consequence of the VAR technology. Discretion and contextual circumstances are being unintendedly suppressed. Referees are too self-conscious of a VAR overrule as it has now become part of the referees’ performance record. As a result, referees are too quick to award penalties as it is easier to accept a VAR overrule of a penalty kick (the first one went against Senegal in match 3) than it is for the VAR call a penalty kick upon review that was missed by the on-field referee. A Penalty Kick statistically results in a goal 80-90% of the time. In a game where goals are relatively scarce this phenomenon is troubling We must accept the fact that the VAR altered the game by slowing it down, by motivating players to cheat, defying the Gravity law of physics, falling to the ground on the slightest contact and by incenting referees to err on the side of caution rather than allow the flow of the match.
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