German Video ref chief sacked over fixing allegations

BUNDESLIGA fans are demanding the end of video assistant referee (VAR) testing in Germany as the system’s German league chief was replaced yesterday amidst accusations of influencing matches. The VAR is being trialled this season in Italy and Germany with football’s governing body FIFA yet to decide whether it will be used at June’s World Cup in Russia. In Germany, the VAR experiment has sparked controversy and debate with ‘Cologne’ – the centre where all scenes are reviewed – widely blamed for unfavourable rulings and a byword for a place where bad decisions are made. Judging by fans’ banners at top-flight grounds around Germany at the weekend, most supporters want VAR scrapped immediately. Yesterday, magazine Kicker ran the headline “Only Losers: Irritation, sanctions, wrong decisions” on it’s cover next to an image of a referee showing a red card. The VAR system sparked serious accusations on Sunday which ultimately cost Hellmut Krug, the head of the VAR system in Cologne, his role. Germany’s biggest-selling newspaper Bild claimed Krug twice influenced penalty decisions in favour of Schalke, who he supports, during their 1-1 league draw with Wolfsburg a week ago. “I believe that we have the wrong people in Cologne,” fumed Augsburg’s sports director Stefan Reuter in reaction. Krug vehemently denied the accusations, but the DFB moved swiftly yesterday to remove him as head of the project.