This season, one of the most debated issues in football is Video Assistant Refereeing or commonly known as VAR.
Dedicated to intensify the objective decision making in handling difficult contentious moments on the field, VAR perpetuated an outbreak of displeasure and contention among players, fans and referees.
The idea of technology improving the state of the game has usually been countered by controversy around its usage and the feelings that it provokes.
The understanding of VAR was introduced to help referees make better decisions on various events of matches, goals, penalties, sending offs, and identity mix-up.
Officials get to watch the action and make better decisions; in theory, this means a fair result for a match on the field is achieved.
VAR was a godsend to many by improving the quality of this game that could sometimes define team and player fates as well as the fortunes of fans.
The Controversies Arise
The reality of VAR has been that it does not have the impact intended when it was supposed to be implemented. Stakeholders’ frustration stems, in part, from the variability of decision making.
VAR has been implemented in different leagues and tournaments across the globe with different set of norms and implementation criteria and eventually there is a lot of confusion among players and fans.
A decision which can be considered a penalty in one match may not be considered so in the next game even if the conditions of the playing ground are the same. However, this makes it very confusing and tends to lower the credibility of officiating.
However, another factor that has emerged also as to the amount of time taken for VAR reviews has also emerged as an area of concern now.
Referee can sometimes wait for several minutes for a decision to be made and this interferes greatly with the flow of a game, and the spirit in stadium.
Likewise, players also complain of the delays as they tasks themselves with concentration while playing for excessive durations of time.
While the intention of officiating has been made easier, this has sometimes led to an experience that is more complex than it should be.
