THE VAR TECHNOLOGY

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Good day to all my fellow hivians around the world , it’s a bright and good day to talk about the great sport football , a special sport loved by all, both old and young . Talking about old , this great sport has existed for ages incorporating different rules and styles on its way to its innovation. Presently in modern day football they have been a lot of obvious innovations like the goal line technology.

All this high tech ideas where formed to minimize the errors in a football match due to errors from the different match officials. Making the game perfect and totally transparent.

Today we will be discussing about the Video assistant referee technology ,now used in all modern day soccer competitions. Let’s find out how it helps the game and the way it functions.

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Let’s have fun....

VIDEO ASSISTANT REFREE

First of all what or who is a video assistant referee.

A VAR can be defined as automated match official in association football, his main function or purpose is to review and correct decisions made by the head referee and he/she does this conveniently with video tech and footage alongside headphones for easy communications.

The main purpose of this innovative technology is to reduce and even eliminate mistakes that might be made by the head referee or officials officiating any match, to reduce unfairness and promote transparency.

This technology was incorporated into the laws of football in the year 2018 by the International Football Association Board (IFAB). It operates with the mindset of reduced interference and maximum benefit. This means that the var technology seeks to make necessary corrections and review mistakes while still giving total power to the referees without interfering in the game .

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The Var technology was conceived by the refereeing 2.0 project in the year 2010. It was directed by the Netherlands football association (KNVB). Off course the system had to be tested and this was done through mock trials in the 2012-2013 season of the Eredivisie. In the year 2014 the KNVB made moves by filling a petition to the International Football Association Board, seeking for the body to amend its rules of the game to let the Var system to be used more extensively. The KNVB approved the petition giving them power to test it more extensively in the league.

It’s pathway to full implementation started in the year 2016.

LUKAS BRUD , the then IFAB secretary “ with all the 4g and WiFi in the stadia today...we knew we had to protect referees from making mistakes that everyone can see immediately”.
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PROCEDURES USED BY THE VAR

Now Let’s talk about the procedures of the video assistant referee. They are four main categories of decisions that can be checked by the Var.

• Goal/no goal- This is simply when the attacking team commits an offense in the ball such as , handball, encroachment when taking penalty kicks, offside e.t.c

• Penalty/no penalty- this is also when the offensive team commits an offense on the ball, like ball out of play, incorrect awarding of set pieces , offense not punished, pin pointing the location an offense was committed.

• Direct red card - this can occur when the team defending denies the offensive team a clear goal scoring opportunity, violent conduct or play, the use of offensive and insultive words during a match. All red card issuing by the head referee is always subject to a Var review.

• Mistaken identity- in giving a red card or yellow one.

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THE CHECK

The Var team comprises of a team that is always stationed in the VIDEO OPERATIONS ROOM(VOR), they are responsible for checking and reviewing every decision under the four distinctive categories ,made by the head referee on the pitch. Every decision on review is then communicated to the main referee. When the Var doesn’t find any mistake or error made by the referee, it is then communicated to him through head phones. And this is known as a silent check, meaning their is no need for further action. This causes less delay in any football match , as it is done on the go.

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But in a situation where the Var finds an error in the referees decisions, the match can be delayed as the referee has to stall the match , waiting for the Var to review the decision or situation. He/she delays the restart of the match when he gets a signal from the Var , the referee notifies the crowd and players that a check is been conducted by pointing to his/her ear.

When there is an obvious error in decision making , the referee is presented with three distinctive options or scenarios;

• Decision overturned by advise of Var
• On field review (which is highly recommended)
• Referee chooses to ignore Var advise.

All decisions made by the referee can be overturned even without an on field review , in cases where a situation is very obvious. E.g Offside decisions.

But in all cases the power lies in the hand of the hear referee as he/she can choose to refuse or ignore the advise or corrections of the video assistant referee.

ON FIELD REVIEW

This procedure can only be done by the referee under the full recommendation of the video assistant referee. This process puts in place the main rule of football that says a referee must not always rely on the decisions of outer elements.

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An on field review can only be conducted when the match official stalls the game or when the ball is out of play.

The referee signals the crowd and players on the pitch that an on field review is going to be conducted by making the outline of a rectangle, which signals a video screen.

The referee review area(RRA) is located at a very designated location on the pitch, adjacent to the field of play allowing the public to see the screen to promote transparency and fairness .

Different elements of reviews are used to determine the right decisions such as slow motion reply, it is used only to establish a point of contact for physical and body offenses such as handball.

While the full speed replays are only used to determine the intensity of a foul, or whether an offense was commuted in the first place.

During the OFR review , video footages from all angles of the pitch are transmitted to the screen in order for the referee to watch and make appropriate corrections.

When the referee is done with the check he/she makes another tv screen gesture or signal before he pronounces the new decision.

In a situation when the play was stalled to review a decision and at the end it was not changed a drop ball occurs.

ASSISTANT VIDEO ASSISTANT REFEREE

The assistant video assistant referee (AVAR) is usually an up to date or former referee. His main function is to assist the video assistant referees in the Video operation room (VOR).

Another responsibility of the AVAR is to keep an eye on the live match while the video assistant referee is checking or reviewing any decision , this is done to keep a record of any possible reviewable decision and to also transfer or communicate the final decision to the crowd and broadcasters.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, the innovative technology of the video assistant referee has proven to be a useful change in the game as mistakes and errors committed by referees unintentionally can be reviewed and corrected. It also serves as help to referees , lending out a helping hand to them in times of need.l and confusion.

THANK YOU FOR READING.............

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