Fifa to take VAR off ifab?

[Peter Grove]

And let's not forget, if we take the line-drawing tech off the VAR, that's not going to stop the TV companies using it. So you end up with a situation where the VAR gets involved and is likely to make a wrong call based off a poor camera angle, the TV companies (and therefore papers, website etc) go crazy about the VAR getting it wrong and you're in a worse situation than you were pre-current-VAR.

I'm not so sure. On the kinds of close calls we're talking about, the pundits, papers, websites etc are precisely the ones who are almost unanimously saying that even when the lines show the player was technicallly offside, it's ridiculous to actually give those decisions. So if the lines show the player was actually offside, but only by a tiny margin that was indistinguishable to the naked eye, I believe the various pundits and media will be happy with it.

The US has been mentioned as an example and as far as I'm aware, there is no controversy or criticism there, when this kind of marginal offside is not given - the majority supports it, as @socal lurker says.

 

[GraemeS]

I'm not so sure. On the kinds of close calls we're talking about, the pundits, papers, websites etc are precisely the ones who are almost unanimously saying that even when the lines show the player was technicallly offside, it's ridiculous to actually give those decisions. So if the lines show the player was actually offside, but only by a tiny margin that was indistinguishable to the naked eye, I believe the various pundits and media will be happy with it.

The US has been mentioned as an example and as far as I'm aware, there is no controversy or criticism there, when this kind of marginal offside is not given - the majority supports it, as @socal lurker says.

True, but the pundits, papers, websites etc are also the same group who complained about the quality of refereeing previously, started drawing lines on TV stills and overall, caused the introduction of VAR in the first place. If they were simply able to accept slightly subjective/inconsistent decisions in the first place, none of this would even have happened!

 

[Russell Jones]

True, but the pundits, papers, websites etc are also the same group who complained about the quality of refereeing previously, started drawing lines on TV stills and overall, caused the introduction of VAR in the first place. If they were simply able to accept slightly subjective/inconsistent decisions in the first place, none of this would even have happened!

This is an interesting and relevant point. The media are now the ones complaining about VAR (especially but not limited to the fractional offside calls). Seems to me that they have to be a big part of the solution here (eg buying into the idea that if VAR isn't going to use lines then they shouldn't either). Otherwise there is a very real risk of them 'biting the hand that feeds them' by turning off the very viewers that their mega budgets rely on!

Alternatively (and preferably) scrap VAR altogether. IMO it is clearly doing more harm than good overall. But as others have said it seems that sadly the genie is out of the bottle.

 

[RustyRef]

I'd compare it to Coronavirus in terms of the media. The very same journalists that criticised the government for not locking down quickly enough then criticised them for removing restrictions too quickly. And if they were to lock down again the cycle would just restart.

If VAR was removed (which won't happen) the same media and pundits that had criticised VAR would be screaming for it to be be brought back once a few decisions had been got wrong. Journalists, and pundits probably to a lesser extent, will say what people want to hear.

 

[Tealeaf]

I liked the commentary on BBC 2’s Today at the Test during the first test. At an LBW review who ever was one the mic made the point that the technology works, but it took time to get there. And then mentioned football catching up. It takes time and patience. It’ll get there

 

[zarathustra]

But how would FIFA enforce how VAR is used and ensure that competitions use it in accordance with the laws and guidance given?