IFAB discusses the possibility of expanding the use of video assistant referee systems

The International Football Association Board (IFAB), the body responsible for regulating the rules of football, has begun to consider expanding the use of video assistant referee (VAR) systems. At the moment, VAR can only intervene in a match in cases deemed to have a direct impact on the outcome of the match. IFAB reports The Timesis considering extending VAR’s powers to include free kicks, corners and second yellow cards.

The International Football Association Council has begun to consider the possibility of making changes to the VAR regulations. The IFAB’s first meeting on the issue took place on Tuesday, The Times reported. Any decision, however, is not expected until March next year. Note that the IFAB is responsible for developing the rules of football. The structure includes the national football federations of England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, as well as the International Football Federation (FIFA). National federations have one vote each. FIFA has four. Six votes are required to make a decision.

According to The Times, an IFAB working group is discussing the possibility of giving VAR important additional powers.

In particular, we are talking about allowing VAR to intervene when it comes not only to events that directly affect the result of the match (such factors, according to current rules, include the determination of a goal, the award of a penalty, the presentation of a direct red card, the identification of the offender rules), but also in cases where the influence can be indirect, namely: determining the fact of the ball going to a corner, awarding free kicks and presenting second yellow cards.

A number of IFAB experts note that the above factors, in fact, have no less influence on the game than those that are already classified as directly affecting it. For example, if an unfair corner is awarded (for this, the linesman only needs to incorrectly determine which of the opposing players touched the ball last – a common mistake), and then after the corner the ball is scored, there is a cause-and-effect relationship between the incorrect refereeing decision and the goal being scored. The same applies to incorrectly awarded free kicks. As for second yellow cards, in terms of their impact on the course of the game they differ little from direct removal.

The rationality of the proposed changes is difficult to dispute. This does not mean, however, that expanding VAR powers will not face opposition.

The key, and perhaps the only, argument of opponents of expanding the powers of VAR is that the reform will lead to even more delays in matches. As an example, the recent meeting between Tottenham and Chelsea (1:4) is given. During the game, after VAR intervention, four goals were disallowed and two red cards were shown. The time delay for the match referee to review the controversial points was 21 minutes. Obviously, if the referee also has to review tapes of contested corners and free kicks, the time delays that many coaches, such as Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, complain simply throw teams off rhythm, will become even more impressive. “We wanted to keep things to the minimum level of intervention required when there is a clear refereeing blunder,” former Premier League referee Peter Walton told The Times. “But now some are expecting VAR intervention in every controversial case. But that was not the point! The point was to prevent the “hand of God” from happening again (Diego Maradona scored a goal against England with his hand in the quarter-final match of the 1986 World Cup, which the referee did not notice, and later the Argentine called this goal the “hand of God.”— “Kommersant”), no more”.

We would like to add that the IFAB, in addition to amending the VAR regulations, is considering several more adjustments to the football rules. In particular, on the presentation of a red card for any intentional handball in the penalty area (now it is only given if it prevented a goal being scored), the introduction of ten-minute penalties for inappropriate behavior (verbal rudeness towards match participants and other non-contact violations), as well as a ban on discussions with the referee for everyone except team captains.

Alexander Petrov