The use of video technology has been a major talking point since its introduction. Despite complaints, more competitions are using this method. After years of requests for video technology in football, VAR has come into its own.
It was first used in England in November 2017. Far from eliminating the debate surrounding arbitration decisions, however, the new system has resulted in more discussion and controversy.
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Overall, there have been good times and bad times related to VAR. But what exactly is VAR and why was it designed? Here's everything you need to know about a major shift in the way football is legalized.
VAR stands for Video Assistant Referee. It is actually a team of three people who work together to review certain decisions made by the head referee. They watch video replays of relevant incidents in a match.
This team comprises the video assistant referee himself, his assistant and a replay operator. They sit in a video operating room that offers different camera angles of a playthrough.
Four types of decisions can be reviewed using VAR: penalties, fouls, red cards and mistaken identity when issuing a card. For a decision made in the field to be overturned, it must be a “clear error”.
The decision review process can work in two ways. Either the referee can request a review after making a decision or the VAR team can recommend one. In the latter situation, if the VAR judges that there is a possibility that a clear error has been made, he may notify the referee.
The referee then has a few options. He can immediately reverse the play based on VAR advice or go with the initial decision.
FIFA believes that the system – although imperfect – has been successful in its use. They say that during the group stages of the 2017 Confederations Cup, six "game changing" decisions were taken with the help of VAR, in addition to another 29 "major incidents".
Some players and coaches, however, were less impressed. A common complaint has been the time taken to review decisions and the way it causes confusion and disrupts play.
