The debate on controversial plays is an integral part of football. Sportscasters and fans discuss all sorts of incidents in the game that are not easily visible to the naked eye.
The referee and his assistants make valuation errors that can determine the victory of one or the other team. VAR is a new technology that aims to solve the conflict related to controversial plays. Its acronym in English corresponds to Video Assistant Referee, which means Video Assistant Referee. This referee assistance procedure was officially introduced at the soccer world championship held in Russia in the summer of 2018.
Operation and objectives
This technological tool allows four people to watch the game and at the same time be in contact with the referee through a fiber optic radio system. The members of the VAR have more than thirty television cameras with which they can review all the controversial plays. However, they only act in four types of cases:
1) to annul or validate a goal,
2) in situations where there could be a penalty,
3) in those actions where a player could be expelled and
4) to identify the offender of a foul when the referee has any doubt about it.
VAR members contact the referee when these circumstances arise. Of the members of the VAR, there is one dedicated exclusively to analyzing the possible offside. The cameras that are used allow the observation of the play with total precision.
The approach of this system is to intervene as little as possible in arbitration decisions and, at the same time, achieve greater effectiveness in controversial situations. As is logical, the objective of VAR is to ensure that the result of a match is as fair as possible.
The use of technology generates two conflicting opinions
Technological advances often incorporate changes in social valuations. The introduction of VAR is a good example of this. Some hobbyists believe that it is a positive and necessary measure, since it significantly reduces human error.
The referee will continue to have a leading role but with this system his logical interpretation errors will be reduced.
Another sector of the world of football thinks otherwise, since it is understood that this technology goes against a fundamental element in this sport: passionate discussion. Thus, with VAR, a new version of Maradona’s “hand of God” at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico or many other controversial moments that marked the history of football will no longer be possible.
Photos: Fotolia – Hansel / Rudie