Video Assistant Referees (VAR): A boon or bane for teams?

The Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system is a tool that assists referees in making important decisions on the pitch. The use of Video Match Officials (VMOs) in football was included in the Laws of the Game for the 2018-19 season and was successfully implemented during the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Since then, the technique has been used in over 100 events throughout the world.

In four game-changing scenarios, the VAR crew assists with the referee's decision-making process:

1. Goals and infractions that lead to a goal
2. Penalty judgments and the offenses that lead to a penalty decision
3. Only direct red card events (no second yellow card/caution) are permitted.
4. Mistaken identity (for cards shown to players).

The Video Assistant Referee crew regularly monitors for blatant and evident faults linked to these four match-changing circumstances during a match. VAR staff only interact with the referee when there are clear and evident errors or major missed situations.

The Video Assistant Referee crew provides assistance to the referee from the centralized Video Operation Room (VOR). This room was not only observed during the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar but is also present at different locations.

The Premier League, for example, keeps all of its VAR crew in the Video Operation Room (VOR) in Stockley Park, London. Major League Soccer in the United States built a video review center in Atlanta for the 2022 season, where all of its VAR teams will work.

VOR receives all host broadcaster camera feeds from eight stadiums via a fiber-optic network. Each stadium's on-field referee communicates with the VAR crew through a sophisticated fiber-linked radio system.

The Video Assistant Referee crew has access to 42 broadcast cameras, including eight super slow-motion cameras and four ultra slow-motion cameras. Slow-motion replays are most commonly employed in factual situations, such as determining the point of contact in a physical offense or the position of an offender.

Normal-speed replays are used to make subjective decisions, such as determining the severity of an offense or whether or not a handball was penalized. The VAR crew has access to the video feeds used by semi-automated offside technology in addition to the broadcast cameras.

All FIFA host broadcaster camera feeds are available to the VAR crew. The feeds (unilateral camera feeds) from cameras mounted by Media Rights Licensees (MRLs) are not available to the VAR team. Such cameras, which are not part of the official host broadcaster's camera plan, often focus on the team that the MRLs represent.

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While VAR can assist in ensuring fair and accurate decisions, it is not without controversy

England v France: Quarter Final - FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022

On one hand, VAR may be viewed as a windfall for teams since it can prevent incorrect judgments from influencing the outcome of a match. This is especially significant in high-stakes sports like professional leagues and international championships. VAR can lessen the possibility of human mistakes and improve the overall fairness of the game by employing video technology to analyze occurrences like offside calls, fouls, and goals.

VAR, on the other hand, may be viewed as a curse for teams, particularly when judgments made by on-field officials are reversed. This may lead to irritation and disappointment among players, coaches, and spectators, as well as a negative impact on team morale. Furthermore, others claim that VAR breaks the flow of the game and is time-consuming, resulting in lengthier pauses in play and perhaps influencing the overall tempo and rhythm of the match.

Finally, the VAR's influence on teams might be favorable or detrimental. While it can assist in assuring fair outcomes and limiting the possibility of mistakes, it can also cause annoyance and interruption. Finally, the use of VAR in sports is a topic of constant debate, and the advantages and downsides should be carefully weighed by both teams and regulating authorities.