Tokyo 2020 Olympic Referees & Discussion [R]

I don't think they care one bit. I think it's all about how Jovanovic reacts. I've certainly had a mistake or doubtful decision on my mind from one competition when I was about to work in another. It's all an off-the-field question for him.

I actually thought of exactly this incident when I was posted, perhaps because it came up again recently. The difference, of course, is that Irmatov was already what could be classified as a "made man" in FIFA, so they weren't tossing him overboard (even though they should have and he never should have been there, but I digress). Jovanovic is different. Though this is ultimately just a bad exercise in judgment on matchday one. Maybe FIFA will give him another match, given the "weird zone of importance" this tournament holds that you pointed out. It would be a good way to help him get any lost confidence back.

 

Glad you posted this.

I think it's a reminder of how bad VAR can be when it's in inexperienced hands. And, consequently, a reminder that we are still along way off from a world where the VAR duties can be shared widely at a World Cup.

That's just not a clear and obvious red card. The referee is looking right at it and plays advantage for the player who allegedly is guilty of SFP! No one complains--not a soul. And every replay makes this look accidental. For me, the Spanish player is fouling the Egyptian by charging him from behind. The fact that the Spanish player's leg slips under the studs of the Egyptian attacker's studs doesn't turn this from a foul on one to a red card on the other guy. Every thing about this is wrong. The VAR is looking at things only in slo-mo, reacting only to the result, and trying to shoehorn a "clear error" into a situation where no one on the field thinks there is one and no one expects a red card.

Somewhat reassured the referee didn't accept the recommendation (though part of me wishes he didn't even give a yellow, but I can see why a referee in that situation would feel that was a bridge too far). But it really is another reminder of how difficult VAR instruction and practical application can be. At this point, I'd be surprised if we had more than 10 people called to act as main VARs in Qatar next year. It takes regular practice to both get good at it and have a feel for the role.

 

@Mikael_Referee do you have the Conger red card clipped? The NBC highlights package makes it a bit tough to discern how the whole mass con was handled.

 

Elfath has Brazil-Cote d’Ivoire with his trio and Jurisevic as VAR. Jovanovic happens to be his fourth.

Penso AVAR again, this time to al-Marri, the Qatari who gave the peculiar recommendation in the Spain match above. So that could be a weird clash of approaches on Egypt-Argentina.

 

Just watched this. The OFR was for offside--interfering with an opponent. When the header comes in, a Brazlian attacker is in an OSP. She then makes physical contact, as she clears back upfield, with the Dutch defender who ultimately is called for the handball. It's slight, but it definitely occurs. And that has to be a punishable offside.

If the offside didn't occur, that penalty for handball was standing. VAR would not overturn that. But, sort of piggybacking on where @code1390 was going here, that's not a really great call. Someone misses a header and it hits her arm and goes out for a corner kick. This is one of those where the handball can be defended per letter of law, but no one really expects a handball there--I know there were some appeals, but just look at everyone's reaction.

And to that end, VAR in the women's game can be so bizarre. It's only been a few years, but we've become so accustomed to how a lot of it works in the men's game. Here, the penalty is set, goalkeeper, kicker and all other players are ready to go in position, and the referee is still communicating with the VAR, with no indication that it might be overturned. In a men's game, the likelihood is that the referee is still in discussion with some of the players (because, of course, at least a few will be protesting), and you're not getting the penalty set until the VAR gives the "check complete" and the referee conveys that to the players. I'm not trying to indirectly encourage dissent, but conversation and communication is more natural than what you saw here. Add in the fact that it took forever and it is just a weird scene at this level of competition.

Oh, also... the Olympics is a stark reminder that guys like Twellman can be very tolerable when compared to people who aren't announcing elite competitions on a regular basis. Some of the commentary and confusion from the broadcast teams in matches I've looked at so far has been amazing.

 

https://streamable.com/v8qbb8

 

I don't think it's necessarily "go low," because getting DOGSO wrong is different than, say, over/under punishing a borderline SFP tackle. I think the component you identify here is simply what gave him actual doubt.

It is worth noting that Elfath hasn't really been having a great year on the accuracy of his big decisions. He's had a lot of OFRs in MLS this season. What helps him is that he's very good at using VAR efficiently, which we see here. But I wonder if/how that catches up to him with PRO or FIFA. Even the second red card in this match was very odd. Elfath whistled a soft, though absolutely correct, foul a little late as a second Ivorian player came through recklessly on a Brazilian in midfield. The reaction was almost non-existent initially and then Elfath just sort of dispassionately produced the 2CT. It wasn't wrong in any way whatsoever, but it was strange and he seemed somewhat rattled.

Will be interesting to see where his trio goes now in the tournament. Just like in the 2019 U20s, I think his comfortability with VAR and good accompanying VARs will take him far, so long as something uncorrectable or truly unacceptable doesn't occur.

 

This is a nit-pick for practical reasons, but I think it's sort of a big deal philosophically.... it's clear the OFR was for DOGSO and not SFP. Given the SFP aspect is pretty clear on video and the punishment in most competitions is stronger, there really should have been a focus there first.

Was thinking about this recently, too. On the one hand, I agree with you and the wave-off of the caution was/is cumbersome and clunky. The problem, though, is or will be situations where an OFR is for violent conduct that occurs after a player receives a yellow card. How will referees be able to communicate that the yellow card stands if it is now assume that a red card from an OFR wipes out a previously shown yellow? It's a weird little mechanical quirk.