No. That’s not it. Uruguay advancing adds a layer to make it even more untenable, sure. But Faghani looked at video and changed his decision in the wrong direction. He somehow made a call that is 100% contrary to FIFA’s very public instructions. He used technology that exists precisely to prevent grave errors in order to make a grave error. It’s really bad and really unacceptable. The idea that the VAR team made just as bad of an error is irrelevant. Don’t worry, Al Marri will be done as a main VAR, too. The simple fact is that Faghani is expected to be amongst the best in the world. Errors in judgment that result in a missed call here or there are understandable. This sort of borderline objective error is not. He’s expected to know this stuff cold. And Collina can’t and won’t afford to put a referee out on a major knockout match after getting this so wrong. It’s an issue both of performance and trust.
We disagree. I think Faghani had it right the first time, but it wasn't a grave error either way. It was a nuanced area calling for a judgment call that could be defended either way. The VAR team brought focus on the impact of the handball on a clear goal scoring opportunity, with the issue of intent on that fall with the hands used in that manner not the same as a player already on the ground.
About the 'linesmen on the wrong side' thing - quite funny moment where Berny Ulloa Morera and Armando Pérez Hoyos get told off by the FIFA Match Commissioner before the Ireland vs. Italy quarterfinal at Italia '90 for forgetting who was 'AR1' and 'AR2'. The Portuguese referee and his Colombian linesman then share a joke with each other when the FIFA delegate walks away. Here: https://vk.com/video400374426_456239322
I know this is the wrong thread for this convo, but I think a lot of this comes down to communication which FIFA has access to and we don't. Faghani saying, "I didn't see it hit the hand" vs. Faghani saying "trailing arm, trailing arm" are two very different things, and with the former Al Marri's intervention makes more sense (and so does the PK, and so does FIFA's displeasure w/the call). In their conversation do they show an awareness of the instruction on trailing arms? If so, that might help their cause. If not, then...
I won’t go too much further here because it’s not a question of us disagreeing, it’s what FIFA believes. It’s not a nuanced area for FIFA. The initial decision was correct and the changed decision was incorrect. Full stop. Even if your nuanced argument was valid, it’s irrelevant because VAR should only be used for clear errors. Add in the procedural issue, where Faghani was incapable of directing the VAR team to show various angles and it demonstrates some big problems that are far greater than “he got a debatable penalty wrong.” He lacked mastery of VAR and mastery of instructions around handball penalties. Changing a correct non-penalty to an incorrect VAR penalty is a massive issue for FIFA. And Faghani will face the consequences. Ironically, if he had been able to navigate himself out of the incorrect recommendation from Al Marri, he probably would have sealed a late round match. But he didn’t do that. We are talking about a role leading of the biggest 7-9 matches in the world at this point; you can’t make this mistake and show these deficiencies and expect to be trusted with one.
Moreover, was this the only critical error that FIFA has publicly come out and made a statement regarding the error? I only heard of that one. If so, that's pretty telling.
Arbitro Internacional reported that Beath's ARs have replaced Elfath's ARs in the video review room for the England/Senegal game today. Obviously this suggests Elfath and crew were not originally lined up for Japan/Croatia tomorrow. Any idea who was? Ramos?
It’s not a question of “lined up.” It’s just that they seem to really not care who is offside and stand-by offside AVAR. You can surmise that they didn’t expect to appoint Elfath again so quickly, though even that might be a stretch. You definitely can’t get into “lined up”; it doesn’t work that way.
Meanwhile… Spain v Morocco - RAPALLINI Portugal v Switzerland - RAMOS I like the first appointment, of course. I do not think Ramos is a brilliant pick for the latter. Oh and Vigliano stays as a main VAR. Fischer comes in for Ramos, which is quite noteworthy as I believe Guerrero has been strong.
Random question from a coworker listening to me talk about the Ref's of the World Cup: "How much do they get paid?" It seems like a simple question and yet I have a feeling it isn't. Cheers, Mi3ke
In the previous two WCs each referee received between 50-80K USD for being appointed to the tournament, then an additional 2k or something per assignment. I give a range because exchange rates fluctuate, and also the exact number as far as I know isn't disclosed (but maybe it is somewhere?). Also, ARs were given a little less than half of that I think. While that may seem like a lot, remember that for many of these guys they have to miss roughly 2-3 months of work just for WC duty (between the tournament itself and the training). The idea being, "hey, we want you to quit your job for this." [EDIT: I think the past two WCs officials selected to extend past the first round received a 10k bonus] What I don't know is if that if this year the per match bonus is only for the 4 officials assigned field duty, or if it carries over to the VAR room or the reserves. I have no idea how that works. I could easily see them ditching the "per match" bonus based on the number of assignments and simply increasing the pay for all officials for the tournament.
According to https://en.as.com/soccer/how-much-do-referees-make-per-game-at-the-2022-world-cup-in-qatar-n/ CR Base 70k USD Match fees 3k group, 10k knockout AR Base 25k Match fees 2.5k group, 5k knockout 4O Match fees 2.5k group, 5k knockout VAR Match fees 3k group, 5k knockout
I’ve heard slightly lowly figures (maybe $50k in the high end) and I have no idea how any per match bonus happens. I will say one thing… the argument that the figure might be not that much is very much a Western position. We are talking about a huge flat lump sum fee for many of these officials outside UEFA and a few select other locales.
I've always heard it was a flat fee regardless of how many games you worked. There was no per game bonus or game fee. Whether you worked 5 games or 1 game everyone got paid the same. Your point about it "not being a lot of money" is spot on. Fo referees from central America or Africa or even Tahiti, it is a huge amount of money. Look up median salary in El Salvador, Guatemala, Panama, etc.
But they get the 70k fee or whatever it is. This is one of the reasons the list isn’t divided ahead of time, I gather.
Off topic, but whoever is compiling the rating polls, I'd be curious to see (after the tournament is over) a full breakdown of the distribution of votes across the whole tournament, in other words how many 1 votes were there, how many 2s, et cetera.
Just dawned on me for all our mocking of CONCACAF officiating, the region went 3/8 in the R16. Brian Hall’s great revenge? I kid, of course. Looking forward, Mateu on Argentina, Taylor/Oliver on the other QF on that side, Orsato on France v England and Claus on the final match? Though maybe Orsato saved for a big semifinal.
Random question: my recollection is that “back in the day” international refs weren’t paid. They received free travel, etc., but didn’t get any actual check. Does anyone know if that was actually true, and if so when they started actually getting paid?
So Vigliano and Elfath survive rough looking but not disastrous games. Meanwhile Faghani ended his tournament with a terrible error.
I’m surprised a bit by Vigliano. Though I’ve been told that FIFA didn’t really focus on the handball aspect of that play at all. Sometime you get lucky and fade into the background. And sometimes FIFA wants you to get lucky because you’re considered indispensable. Fischer’s run right now is incredibly impressive, though. On the merits, perhaps even more so than Elfath’s. His quality at managing the VOR must really be shining through.