VAR Announcements to Reverberate Around Anfield
Can VAR Get More Transparent?
Picture this: the atmospheric Anfield, shrouded in suspense, as the football world holds its breath. The on-pitch referee has just announced the outcome of a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review. Yes, this might no longer be a far-fetched fantasy. As the footballing world evolves, VAR announcements may become a live feature in football stadiums across the globe as early as next year. The green signal for trialling in-stadium explanations of VAR decisions could be lit by year’s end.
However, broadcasting live discussions on decisions seems a distant dream, according to the PA news agency.
Transparency in Officiating: A New Era?
In a recent development, the referees’ chief, Howard Webb, selected audio clips from VAR incidents from this season’s Premier League to be discussed on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football programme. A step towards the much-debated transparency from Professional Game Match Officials Limited, this was a peek behind the curtain at the workings of referees and VARs.
So, could Monday night’s display herald a regular feature of English football next term? The burning question from fans and pundits alike is why on-pitch officials can’t transmit their VAR discussions live. Webb rightly cited the laws of the game as the obstacle. A proposal to trial live communications was rebuffed just last month by the game’s law-making body, the International Football Association Board, for this season’s Coupe de France final and the upcoming 2023-24 Ligue 1 season.
It’s understood that trials of direct communication between on-field officials and VARs won’t be considered anytime soon, primarily due to apprehensions voiced by the international refereeing community.
Concerns and Opportunities
These concerns orbit around standardising conversations, given the variability in referees’ communication methods with their on-pitch assistants and VARs, and the potential impact on referees’ behaviour and interactions.
In spite of the hurdles, there’s significant global interest in enabling referees to clarify their final decision after a VAR review to both the stadium crowd and broadcasting audiences.
The sport’s world governing body, FIFA, was permitted to initiate a year-long trial at the start of 2023, commencing with the Club World Cup in Morocco, and continuing with the men’s Under-20 World Cup and the Women’s World Cup.
Ironing Out the VAR Kinks
This trial period is seen as a golden opportunity to streamline the system and develop universal standards. Given that FIFA’s competitions are international, this could serve as an ideal platform to smooth out communication challenges.
Should the guidelines and standards be well-fleshed by the Women’s World Cup, other leagues worldwide may get the go-ahead to conduct trials, potentially approved at the IFAB annual business meeting, expected in December.
However, the Premier League, reportedly keeping tabs on the FIFA trial, is likely to avoid a mid-season shakeup, so this form of communication may not debut until the 2024-25 campaign at the earliest.
Yet, for calendar-year competitions like Major League Soccer, a trial could commence sooner, following expressed interest. So, Anfield could soon echo with the live voice of VAR. The game may be changing, but the spirit of football remains evergreen.
