News: VAR Experiment (video referees 2016-2018)

This is new info isn't it?

 

VAR will be given a trial run in Spain now for SOME of the last-32 ties in the Copa del Rey.

https://en.as.com/en/2017/09/29/football/1506679875_666826.html

Also of note: Spain continues to be the lone holdout of the "major" European leagues when it comes to GLT.

 

Allegri of Juventus was not a happy camper after their draw v Atalanta yesterday. 2 VAR incidents (one that went against them and one with them) and his main complaint seemed to be about time. He said that it would turn the game into american football D).

Here's a link to my local paper that had the story, the video if it works show the highlights well (the rest I guess won't be much use to you ).
http://www.aftonbladet.se/sportblad...en-mot-var-matcherna-kommer-ta-trefyra-timmar

Not sure I agree with the PK call tbh, seemed to me that it was mostly front of the shoulder and should be OK. But not and easy call (and I await MassRefs questions about clear error ).

 

I was thinking this as I was watching American Football yesterday. Too many stops for split second decisions breaking up the flow of the game.

Mark.

 

I have a question for all you refs and experts in here.
I have read the IFAB protocol and I still have doubts as to how and when a review should be started.
My doubts revolve around this question: is the 'clear and obvious error' a requirement for the review, or only for changing the decision?
My common sens tells me that it is indeed a requirement for changing the decision, but that the review can occur everytime that the mere "suspicion" of a "potential" clear error arises.

As in:
1. Referee makes a decision
2. VAR checks and suspects that there may be a clear and obvious error
3. VAR recommends a review to the ref

as opposed to:
1. Referee makes a decision
2. VAR checks sees that there is a clear and obvious error
3. VAR recommends a review to the ref

The main reason for this interpretation is that... why would a review even occur, if the clear error has already been ascertained? And how would the case of decisions NOT changed after the review be justified, otherwise?

However, the wording of the protocol is not exactly... clear (pun intended) in this respect, and I have had former refs tell me that I am wrong.
The protocol does often use the "potential clear error" wording, but it also states (p.14) that:

The VAR 'check' must always be based on the fundamental philosohy that reviews are only for 'clear errors' [...]


What say you?

 

Thanks for you reply.
And what would be the answer to the objection: "why would a review even be necessary then?"?

I mean, we can't have it both ways: either the reviews are needed to confirm the clear error, but then it means they are called for "potential clear errors"; or, they are called only for actual clear errors, but then they're useless.

 

From what I've seen in the Bundesliga, the referees generally accept the input from the VAR and act on that without personally looking at the video. In the last Bayern game there was a review of a called PK where the referee went to the sideline and watched the video. The TV crew commented on how unusual that was. The referee ultimately agreed that the PK call should be overturned.

 

In Serie A, OFRs happen quite often. And in a couple of instances they have been confirmative of the original decision.
Funnily enough, I can even recall at least one instance of a VAR review, without OFR, that did not change the decision. It was on the Astori-Icardi PK in Inter-Fiorentina.
I can only imagine that that review had been asked by the referee itself which is yet another hint that reviews can be called on mere "doubts".

 

It seems that they have been, but that's not the correct protocol.

It's my understanding that one of the recent PRO training sessions on VAR looked at a number of VAR incidents in MLS (including the communication over headsets/etc) and talked about which were proper, which didn't follow protocol, how things can be improved, etc.

I'm sure that those countries/leagues using VAR are all doing similar things as they work through it.

 

I'd love to see a documentary about the development of the VAR and video review sometime down the road. Would be a very interesting look behind the scenes.

 

it's interesting how low the bar is in Germany for PK reviews (and subsequent PKs awarded) compared to MLS for example.