Nowadays, modern football is not just a
sport, but also a big business. Players earn enormous salaries, with luxury
contracts and play under high pressure to win trophies each season.
They’re aware that sometimes one mistake can cost not only a lost cup but also
a huge money.
How about the situation, when the referee made a mistake? His decision cannot be changed, also after the match. Because of that, players are cheating during matches and trying to put additional pressure on referees. Several years ago, people started discussion about some system for checking the most important decisions made by referee during the match.
Over the years, some improvements have been made: the number of referees was increased, goal-line technology was added but still, it hasn’t solved problem at all, as they couldn't see everything on the pitch.
After a couple of years, it was created, tested and currently VAR (Video Assistant Referee) is actively used in top football leagues and Champions League.
How about the situation, when the referee made a mistake? His decision cannot be changed, also after the match. Because of that, players are cheating during matches and trying to put additional pressure on referees. Several years ago, people started discussion about some system for checking the most important decisions made by referee during the match.
Over the years, some improvements have been made: the number of referees was increased, goal-line technology was added but still, it hasn’t solved problem at all, as they couldn't see everything on the pitch.
After a couple of years, it was created, tested and currently VAR (Video Assistant Referee) is actively used in top football leagues and Champions League.
The main purpose of this system is to help referee with choosing the right decision when during match, some situation is unclear to judge. Before the system appeared, referee could only talk with lines referees for double check his decision.
How it works?
VAR system does not need to be present on the stadium.
Normally, it’s headquartered in a remote location away from the game. All
details can be viewed on URL below:
This system moves football to higher level, as it can reduce human mistakes to minimum, referee can watch disputable situations a couple of times before he made a final decision. But is that really true?
The system can be used only in four situation from the list below:
1) Goals – to check if goal was scored properly
2) Penalties – to decide if penalty should be given or not
3) Red cards – to check if player should be sent off
4) Mistaken identity – to check if decision was made on wrong player
What is interesting, referee doesn’t have to use it if he is confident with his current decision. So some crucial decisions can be made without VAR consultation.
Another fact is that it delaying time spent on analysing final decision. Players are waiting for final decision, but the timer is not stopped during that time.
Also, last matches proven that it can ruin typical football spirit and emotions. For example, in the last seconds of the game, player from Manchester City scored a goal, which caused euphoria on the stadium. Then, referee got message from VAR that goal should be cancelled because of offside:
So theoretically, the system is a perfect solution for current football problems but the reality shows that firstly, it’s not ideal and secondly, if football will completely switch to new "VAR thinking", we would have to avoid thinking like “this was a little touch, no penalty should be given" during football matches, as cameras can show everything.
1) Do you watch football? Have you heard about (or watched) any controversial situation, where VAR could help?
2) Do you think that VAR system helps or it changes games to more schematic and boring?
3) Do you think that in the future, full match control is proper for game spirit? Should it be limited or extended?
Sources:
1) https://www.90min.com/posts/6304526-var-for-dummies-a-step-by-step-explanation-of-video-assistant-referees
2) https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/47690634 3) https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/feb/21/var-drama-schalke-manchester-city-debates-enhanced-experience
4) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdwOL08NfxQ
1) https://www.90min.com/posts/6304526-var-for-dummies-a-step-by-step-explanation-of-video-assistant-referees
2) https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/47690634 3) https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/feb/21/var-drama-schalke-manchester-city-debates-enhanced-experience
4) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdwOL08NfxQ
I watch football matches, I'm a fan of Legia Warszawa. I have seen a situation when referee need to use VAR more than once. I think that this solution actually works. Indeed, sometimes it takes a lot of time, but I think it's worth it. I do not think that the system should completely replace the referee, but it is certainly a great support for him. There were many situations in which mistakes were made and it turned out that the match could end completely different.
ReplyDeleteStrongly agree with your point of view. It takes more time than usual (to check some situation), but it's worth it. Hopefully the system will improve in the near future
DeleteI don't really watch football at all but I heard about the VAR system. In the perfect world players would be just fair and would not cheat but it's just not possible.
ReplyDeleteIn reality VAR is necessary for football to be fair. If players know that VAR is watching they are less likely to cheat I think. On the other hand from your text I can see that this system is not as good as it could be because it stops the game too much and it's still referee decision if he want to use this system. I think that it requiers more changes to become "the prefect solution" for footlball.
I think that we should always aim for fair sport so more changes has to be made and match control should be icreased. All of this control should not contribute to slowing the game with unnecesary breaks.
Exactly, in the perfect world VAR or even referees wouldn't be required. Players cheat too often, don't know any other sports with such a big problem. The system still needs to be improved, but currently it has a good prognosis. And yes, more changes are required to make football more attractive and fair
DeleteWhere big money plays leading role people wants to control everything, to be sure that they didn’t lost their money by mistake. Is it still sport? Or just a business? Players don’t play because they have satisfaction, they play for money. If you do something because you like you don’t cheat, you rather need to achieve goal by your own work, because it makes you happy, but if a player does it just for money, every way is acceptable. And it’s why I don’t watch football to often. I think that to much technology will make game boring especially when amount of breaks will increase because of referee checking what VAR wants to say.
ReplyDeleteMostly, football player are playing only for money but some of them treat their clubs with full respect play for them with total commitment. In my opinion, footballers generally have satisfaction from playing and they don't want to cheat but if they see that players from other teams are provoking or cheating and won using that sneaky way, then unfortunately they're just using same methods as opponents.
DeleteI watch football games from time to time, usually when it comes to some matches with a higher importance. The VAR is only present in such games or in some leagues only, is that right? I've heard about the system itself and as with all new features, there always will be people against and for that idea. I can't remember any controversial situations, only the one you've described in your article. I felt like games without VAR were more interesting to be honest. In my opinion the system spoils the fun which comes out of footbal. I hope that games control will never be automated in such way. It definietly denies the whole idea of sport and it is not good for a game spirit. Some limitations would need to be implemented for sure.
ReplyDeleteVAR is used only in some leagues only and on Champions League, also it was used during World Cup 2018.
DeleteHere you can find some examples of controversial situation from 2018:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBnhe4Tqy14
Games without VAR are more unpredictable but also unfair, when referee made some mistake during crucial moment in the match.
It's true that fully automated games control might kill current game spirit, hopefully FIFA might find some balanced solution
I don't watch football regulary, but I always watch, or try to watch our national team during all tournaments. I heard about VAR system and probably I watched match where this system was used, but I can't recall any controversial situation. I know that football is equal to controversy and emotions, but I think that VAR system will help keep the game fair and I think that this is more important. Of course, referee should have decisive vote in every situation so every automatic control system in the future should help referee, not replace him/her.
ReplyDeleteAgree, VAR shouldn't totally replace referee. When it will be used only for help, then football matches might stay on the similar level of emotions and less level of controversy than now, as you said, VAR should keep the game fair
Delete1. Unfortunately, I'm not a football fan. I have seen matches but I don't recall this kind of situation.
ReplyDelete2. From what you write in the article, the VAR system is to help in making decisions. I don't think the game should become schematic or boring at this point. I don't see any connection.
3. In my opinion, full control helps to assess the situation without changing any game spirit. Footballers create games and emotions, judges are to assess the situation well if they are not able to do it themselves, it's probably good to have help.
Games might be more schematic and boring, please try to imagine situation that each decision is consulted with VAR and then, each action is stopped, game is delayed and all match smoothness is lost. Indeed, additional help for referee is good
DeleteI have been a football fan since I was a child and often played with my friends team in competitions. Today, I only have time only for to play football manager and FIFA with friends. I often observes matches from various leagues and the most interesting and favorite are always Premier League, SERIA A, La Liga. They present the most interesting level in football matches. I dont want speak and comment about the Polish football because it doesn't totally match the level of the world football. In the football he is currently making the most money, who has the money he has a chance for the cup.
ReplyDelete1. At the moment when VAR was introduced, I felt a strong difference in the matches and watching matches. He is very helpful because in the football referee very often make mistakes.
2. In my opinion, however, VAR strongly reduces emotions during the matches seem longer and making breaks cool down emotions.
3. This is some kind of gloss in this world, the football will not be the same anymore and the new generations will no longer know the old rules, but it is the most positive for the fairplay game and especially in th Champions League.
Agree, either in my opinion, referees very often make mistakes. VAR reduces emotions and it has positive impact (as controversial situations are clarified) and negative impact, as e.g. some goals can be cancelled. Indeed, football is changing, let's see how it would look in the next years
DeleteI'm not a football fan so its hard for me to estimate if VAR could ruin the spirit of the game or the general fun of it. From my point of view it seems to be a good tool to prevent cheating, and in my opinion it should also somehow punish players who obviously fake a foul for their gain.
ReplyDeleteI actually can't think of negative impact that VAR could have, other then slowing the game, but as I mentioned since I'm not football fan I might be completely wrong here ;)
I watch football only during huge events like euro or world cup. In every match there are always arguments about referee decisions to be honest. I still remember historical match Germany-England in 2010 when Frank Lampard’s goal hasn’t been seen by referee.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion VAR system helps a lot in sport. In volleyball or tennis, players can ask for a replay many times where 1 score doesn’t change much. In football 1 decision can be crucial for whole game, that’s why I’m a huge fan of VAR appearance in football.
For me VAR shouldn’t be limited or extended at all. If there is a doubt in game there should be a solution to get rid of it. And that’s a sense why VAR even exists.
Exactly, other sports have replay on demand, so controversial decision can be reviewed, in football sometimes one decision (penalty, red card) can change the whole game and it cannot be changed, even it was a mistake. Let's see how it will work for next years
Delete1) I don't watch football and don't know what is happening there. In my life I have maybe seen like 10 minutes of the game. Don't care about the rules or the results.
ReplyDelete2) It can help to keep the game more fair and professional.
3) Definitely it should be both used, the machine and human but the people should always have right to question the VAR machine if something is wrong.
ReplyDelete1. Yes, I heard about controversial situation with VAR. Mostly VAR not help. That's my opinion.
2. I like football and I think that although VAR had to help, it wasn't help. VAR kill pleasure from watching football, make football boring.
3. This should be limited, and something like VAR should be controlled by more people than now.
I was never interested in football and I can also say that I've never seen such situations when VAR could be used. I wouldn't say that this would change game, it's big improvement and help for referees which are already under big pressure. I can't really understand how can it make game boring, it just helps people to keep to the rules which everyone playing football agrees to. I think that such systems can help in the future and won't bother the game spirit at all. Just look at all situations when there were argues and even fights on court because referee was wrong and also there were some situations with bribes?
ReplyDelete1) Do you watch football? Have you heard about (or watched) any controversial situation, where VAR could help?
ReplyDeleteYes! I used to watch a lot of Premier League, La Liga and Champions League games when I was a teenager. Nowadays I can't invest nearly as much time but I still love the game.
2) Do you think that VAR system helps or it changes games to more schematic and boring?
VAR is still young and it will take some time before the system is polished. Small adjustments are needed like stopping the clock. Are games schematic and boring? Maybe but I don't think it's because of VAR. We are at a point where teams just play more strategically.
3) Do you think that in the future, full match control is proper for game spirit? Should it be limited or extended?
Yes it is proper for game spirit. It's very purpose is to eliminate as many referee mistakes as possible. I don't think that 'football spirit' need unfair goals.
Good point, VAR is still young so maybe we should be more calm and give it more time to accommodate. Also, stopping the clock is another clever way to improve VAR functionality during matches, without affect the game itself. Indeed, if it remove as many mistakes as possible, than who know, maybe players will stop cheating
Delete1) Do you watch football? Have you heard about (or watched) any controversial situation, where VAR could help?
ReplyDeleteI have no idea, I don't watch football at all. I never heard about any controversial situation where VAR could help.
2) Do you think that VAR system helps or it changes games to more schematic and boring?
Maybe. But fair rules and treating every team with the same precision is necessary for acquiring 100% fair play. I don't see it as a bad thing.
3) Do you think that in the future, full match control is proper for game spirit? Should it be limited or extended? It really depends. I am a fan of 100% fair games, so I would like to see a full match control. But as I am not a football fan, I am not going to speak on beneath of football fans. Maybe most of them would like to see some risk and randomness in the games, and limit the automation and full control over the games.
When I was a teenager I used to watch lots of football matches. Champions League for me was like a holiday. Currently I don’t watch football at all, but I remember some situations when wrong referee’s decision has shifted the balance to the favor of a different team. That’s why I consider VAR as a big step forward in fair play and reducing bribery in football. I agree that VAR can sometimes turn down fighting spirit but that’s the price we need to pay for more reliable assessment. Actually I can’t see any reason why the play could become more schematic after advent of VAR. I think that the most important thing is to focus on right proportions. VAR can help referees in some measure but we shouldn’t give it a full control. Then football would become much less exciting.
ReplyDeleteIndeed, it's a big step forward in modern football. The game might be more schematic as for example: imagine that each decision/situation is discussed and checked by VAR. Then, the game is delayed, each action is stopped and players are waiting with every action, e.g. celebrating the goal.
DeleteAgree with you that proper proportions here should be a good solution to avoid affecting the game spirit
I'm not a frequent football watcher but I've seen some situations where VAR could definitely help.
ReplyDeleteI don't see how brining justice and fairness to pitch could make the game boring and schematic. Maybe there's not problem in VAR but in our mindset? Look at NBA - they use video review for many years and it didn't make game boring. After all it's the human referee that has the last word.
I believe full match control might be a little too much. I find players arguing with referee amusing and it causes many funny situations, which positively impact game spirit.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI sometimes watch football, last year I travelled to Russia to attend the World Cup. I think you could already notice the impact the var system had during the tournament, as there were a lot more penalties given than usually. There are many cases in the history of football, where teams were victims of bad Referes decisions. The var system will make the game completely transparent from now on. I think that the other problem in football compared to other sports is that very often decisions are open to interpretation. One Refere will make a different judgement than some other Refere. It’s a positive thing, that football Referes will no longer be the ones to blame for the unfair decisions. Football fans will no longer harass them like for example the Polish fans famously cashed Howard Webb. But on the other hand we won’t see some „beatiful cheaters” like Diego Maradonas famous „hand of god” against England.
ReplyDeleteGood point, in football referee's decision (event made with VAR) depends only on his interpretation of specific situation. So the system changes games to more transparent but still, there is a human responsible for final decision and it may cause mistakes. Maybe each VAR decision should be made with a quorum of referees?
DeleteAlso I agree, on Russian World Cup there were multiple penalties given, sometimes for me it seems like "Okay, it's safer to give penalty when situation is 50/50".
I am not a big fan of football, but I happen to watch the matches of the national team. I think that impoverishing the game is not too high a price for fair play. In this sport, the stake is too much money, which begins to result in more accurate control of the game. It is difficult for me to predict the impact of greater control of matches on the shape of the game. It remains to perform experiments on a living organism.
ReplyDelete1) Do you watch football? Have you heard about (or watched) any controversial situation, where VAR could help?
ReplyDeleteYeah, sometimes I watch football and sometimes I go to the stadium to watch it live but I can't recall such situation.
2) Do you think that VAR system helps or it changes games to more schematic and boring?
I think it will help, because what is wrong is wrong. How about fauls that weren't seen, off-sides, goals that shouldn't be counted. VAR will help to secure matches and let the better win.
3) Do you think that in the future, full match control is proper for game spirit? Should it be limited or extended?
I think it should be extended. We have to use the technology to help us control who cheats or not. I think in sport the most important thing is to let the better win. So those systems will help to make emotions more fair.
I think that the VAR system has its advantages and disadvantages. I've heard a few situations that caused joy, but also those in which my team lost a goal because the system detected a fired shot. Yes, it changes to boring. Everything is checked, accurate and as if computer. In some situations, you should not enter computer systems. Football should be natural and full of emotions, as it has been so far. It should be limited. So far, the emotions that formed the ball were natural. We don't have to introduce modernity everywhere. Some things are good by themselves.
ReplyDeleteExactly, if everything is checked by computer, then sometimes weird situation can appears.
DeleteI remember such situation (not strictly related to VAR but to goal-line technology) when goal was cancelled because of ~1cm:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ft3pbu9XR6o
Too much modernity might change football to less attractive. VAR is a good way for help, but it should be used properly
I don't watch football therefore I have never watched any controversial situation on court.
ReplyDeleteBut I believe that I undestand why people are so excited about football. I understand that it requires a lot of excitement and lot of emotions. I think that VAR system won't changes games to more schematic and boring. It only create opportunity for judges to create more fair enviroment for both teams. I think it helps and it should be used if system is anvanced enough to allow judges judge fairly.
I think that element of judge on the field is important to any game. So I believe that creating systems for judges to judge better is good idea, but to controll match fully by computer would be shame.
I don't watch football therefore I have never watched any controversial situation on court.
ReplyDeleteBut I believe that I undestand why people are so excited about football. I understand that it requires a lot of excitement and lot of emotions. I think that VAR system won't changes games to more schematic and boring. It only create opportunity for judges to create more fair enviroment for both teams. I think it helps and it should be used if system is anvanced enough to allow judges judge fairly.
I think that element of judge on the field is important to any game. So I believe that creating systems for judges to judge better is good idea, but to controll match fully by computer would be shame.
Agree, fully control of the match might be a worse solution that current one. The main purpose of the system is to help referee, not to replace him so hopefully it wouldn't change in the future. Both teams should be treated fair and VAR provides this possibility but it still needs to be improved
Delete1) Do you watch football? Have you heard about (or watched) any controversial situation, where VAR could help?
ReplyDeleteI'm not much a football-typ of a guy but I used to watch and play football back in the days and to be honest I don't have my own opinion. From one side it's sport like any other discipline and you have to obtain several rules but at the other hand a piece of beauty of this (or any) sport is to achieve something that was suppose to be unreachable and in most cases it wasn't, according to 'standard' rules.
2) Do you think that VAR system helps or it changes games to more schematic and boring?
When I was into watching matches the system wasn't in use but since then I didn't have experience in watching sports that requires it so I can't express my opinion on it.
3) Do you think that in the future, full match control is proper for game spirit? Should it be limited or extended?
Everything is evolving, sports that we're interested in as well so it's hard to predict how it will affect each discipline. I think as long as it's huge business those on top won't let shrink their ship with money-load.
1) Do you watch football? Have you heard about (or watched) any controversial situation, where VAR could help?
ReplyDelete2) Do you think that VAR system helps or it changes games to more schematic and boring?
3) Do you think that in the future, full match control is proper for game spirit? Should it be limited or extended?
1. Not especially. Sometimes, but really rarily. That's why I can't recall any such situation.
2. I think it helps because makes judging more just and objective. Thanks to it the result of game depends only on players, not on the referee subjective evaluation.
3. Game spirit fairly should depend on players' skills not on errors of refferee judging. So I thinkg VAR control is great think and there is no controversy to discuss on.
I'm a football fan and I have to say that at first I was skeptical about VAR idea, I remember matches that it was tested on few years back and it was quite awkward to watch, but since referees learned how to correctly use it its been a great addition. It makes games to feel more fair, but of course even in with technology it's still a human that makes a final decisions so we can't fully eliminate mistakes. I don't think it makes games boring it simply adds up some sort of abstraction level to the show.
ReplyDeleteI definitely think is't the future, there is nothing worst for the player then watching a game you have played and see how a bad decision have ruined opportunity, as it was in the Champions League game mentioned in article, that last minuted goal was deciding on whether one or another team is moving forward to semifinals.
At the begging, VAR was really hard to watch, but now I have impression that referees are more educated and use it more properly. Human still makes a final decision, so they cannot eliminate mistakes but can reduce them to minimum, maybe a group of referees instead of just one might be a better solution?
DeleteAnd yes, players might feel guilty when they would know that their one move or decision ruined chance to won a match, other example from this season is match between PSG and ManUtd, where PSG received penalty because of unwanted handball in the last minutes of the match
Of course, I watch football and I’m sure that VAR is a great thing. In the past there were a whole lot of situations in which the referee’s mistaken decision was decisive, for example, about the advance to the semi-final of the Champions League. Thanks to the VAR system, the referees have all the necessary tools to make the right decisions. The only disadvantage of the VAR system is that the players and the supporters have to wait for a few minutes (usually only 3-5 minutes) for the referee’s decisions. In my opinion such a short break won’t have almost any impact on the attractivity and dynamics of the game. Full match control is absolutely proper, especially in the competition at the highest level where the winning match means millions of euros for the winning club. I believe that technology should be used to make referees’ decisions as fair as possible.
ReplyDeleteI used to be a good material for professional player but i wasn't so healthy to continue my career ;) I still play on amateur level and i fully support solutions like VAR. For me it’s very important to be honest on the pitch and play with respect for the opponent. On the professional level it's not so obvious and popular. So, in my opinion VAR is something what was absolutely needed. Nowadays we can see how many wrong decisions are changed during the game. Also, referees can't cheat so easily like before. Now watching matches is a pleasure again :)
ReplyDeleteI'm not a big fan of football, but I like to watch some good game with big names :) I watch NBA a lot, and there almost every action is analyzed and watch by referees few times, I was waiting for VAR, because I know how details are important, every touch of ball or situation should be analyze by VAR. I think, that in every league VAR should be installed, it will make game truly fair and it should be able to use it all the time.
ReplyDeleteFor lack of time, I don't watch much football. Ever since I watched matches, controversy existed and it is all the magic of football. VAR allows you to catch many of the judge's mistakes, but also many of them do not notice. However, it is the judges who make the final decisions in a given situation, so it is impossible to say whether the VAR would help.
ReplyDeleteFootball is a game played by 22 people with a strategy chosen by two more people, can it be schematic and boring? I rather doubt it. The VAR in its current form only helps the referees and cannot control the game in any way.
Current support in the form of VAR or chip in the balls (controlling the crossing of the ball by the goal line) do not interfere too much in the discipline itself. These solutions help the whole staff of referees make difficult decisions in every match in a reasonable way. For the sake of preserving the rest of the game spirit, matches should not be more controlled by technological solutions.
I don't like football. I watched one, maybe two matches in my entire life. I think it is fair to play by the rules and only by playing by the rules you can talk about real game spirit. Human perspective and decisions are always biased and not always right. It is great, that we can use a piece of technology to help us do better.
ReplyDeleteFrom time to time I'm watching football matches but I'm no fan. I encounter a lot of situations when VAR help clarify the situation but there were times when referee ignored the facts that should be taken into consideration becouse he chose to depend on his own interpretation rather then make use of this system. In my opinion this game will never become consider schematic or boring by fans becouse they will always have their own way of interpretating actions that take place on field becouse they have their personal approche in reading facts that happen in game. Completely mystery if you ask me becouse when I watch volleyball games everything is completely clear but in football there are always some complains. So what that referee is leaving field to check replay, why not freeze time when he do that? Why not give simple option for trainers to check replays when there is controversial situation whan goal or foul happen. Players stop game for few minutes anyways to celebrate goal. In my opinion to be fair and square VAR should exist and should be a mendatory for every situation when there is a contact between players or when goal happen. For me sport should be a fair play event and any upgrades that might help with that should be introduced.
ReplyDeleteI do not like football in general, it is not very enjoyable for me. I only watch matches during great events (such as in 2012, during European Championships in Poland). VAR can indeed help to decide whether referee decision was good or wrong. I remember this great outrage in 2008, when Polish football supporters were really angry with Howard Webb for his decision during Poland-Austria match. Maybe we can avoid such situations thanks to VAR.
ReplyDelete