FIFA LIFTS BAN ON IRAQ, GREEN LIGHT FOR VAR

Bogota: Video assistant referee technology will make its debut at the World Cup in Russia this summer despite lingering opposition from within and outside football, Fifa president Gianni Infantino said Friday. “We are going to have in 2018, for the first time, a World Cup with VAR,” said Infantino after a meeting of the Fifa Council which, as expected, rubber- stamped the go- ahead given by the rule- making International Football Association Board ( IFAB) in Zurich two weeks ago. “This has been approved and we are really very happy with this decision.” The World Cup, which takes place from June 14- July 15, will see VAR used to judge whether or not a goal has been scored, analyse whether a penalty should be awarded, decide on red cards and rectify if a player has been mistakenly sanctioned. “What we want is to help and to give the referee the possibility to have extra help when he has to make important decisions, and in a World Cup we make very important decisions,” added Infantino. 30- YEAR IRAQ BAN LIFTED

Fifa said it was lifting the threedecade ban on Iraq hosting international football with the cities of Arbil, Basra and Karbala given the go- ahead to stage official matches. “We are allowing international matches to be staged in the cities of Arbil, Basra and Karbala,” said Infantino However, Fifa added that they cannot “yet” agree to a request from to organise matches in the capital of Baghdad.