The future of officiating in the Premier League

As soccer fans, we can all agree that referees are an enormous talking point. Intentional handball’s gone unnoticed, dodgy offside calls, fouls in the penalty area waived away. The scrutiny directed towards the officials can come from all angles.

We do not forget their mistakes. Arsenal fans remember how Manchester United managed to end their famous unbeaten run at 49 matches in 2004.

They Are Only Human

The fundamental problem with referees is this: they are only human.

Consequently, they do the best they possibly can. And sometimes, that still isn’t enough. If an Assistant Referee trains for their entire adult life they will still incorrectly judge players offside. When the referee does not see a tackle because a player is in his line of vision, how can he make the correct call? They must resort to making a guess, or making no call at all.

Guessing and making incorrect decisions is not fair to the fans or the players. People invest huge amounts of time and money into this sport and they deserve to have fair and consistent officials.

So how do we go about implementing this fairness and consistency? The answer could be the introduction of Video Assistant Referees, or VAR.

The Nature Of The System

VAR is exactly what it stands for; it is a video assistant to the referee. The referee uses this video assistant in 4 instances.

1. A goal has been allowed. If the referee feels there has been an infraction in the build up to a goal, he or she can use the video assistant.
2. Questionable penalties. A foul in the box that was not clearly seen by the referee, a handball, a subtle elbow or punch—these could all be reviewed to determine if they warrant a spot kick.
3. Red card offenses. If a very hard foul is committed that might warrant a red, or the referee does not clearly see a dangerous infraction, he or she can use video technology to make a more accurate decision.
4. Mistaken identity. Again, the referees are only human, and mistaking one of the 22 players on the field for another is certainly possible. These instances are reviewed by VAR.

How Does This VAR System Work?

It is relatively simple. When one of the aforementioned instances arises, there are two scenarios. They can either summon the video assistant referee, or they can be summoned by the video assistant. If one of these two actions takes place, a video assistant referee watches several video replays of the incident. This is done pitch-side, from several different angles.

They then report back to the referee with their thoughts and advice on the situation in question. From here, the referee can decide to watch the replays at a monitor situated at the side of the field. They can follow the advice of the video assistant without any questions. Or, they can abide by his original decision on the field.

All of this sounds very good. It seems as though this new technology will lead to a drastic reduction in the amount of wrong decisions. The VAR will affect other aspects of the game, apart from the execution of laws.

How Much Time Can VAR Take?

VAR’s process can take quite a long time, which affects the game in a negative way. A long break in play can slow a team’s momentum. The last thing a team chasing an equalizer in extra time wants is a five minute break for their opposition to re-group.

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