The Citizen (Gauteng)

VAR will help, not hinder Cup

REFEREE BOSSES: IT HAS BEEN RUSHED, BUT IT IS READY

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Moscow

Despite lingering doubts about the use of video assistant referee (VAR) in Russia, Fifa’s refereeing bosses insisted this week that it will help – not hinder – officiatin­g at the World Cup.

The VAR system has been the source of confusing decisions and long delays while situations are checked during testing in both the German Bundesliga and Serie A.

Fifa director of referees Massimo Busacca admits the system has been rushed in for the World Cup, but insists officials are ready and VAR will help referees make better decisions in Russia.

“We ran very fast getting it ready, but we are convinced of it,” said Busacca at a press conference in Moscow.

“We are ready, we know we must be ready as there can be no experiment­s here.”

Busacca compared the VAR to the teams vying for the trophy in Russia.

“It’s like a team who didn’t play well before a World Cup, made mistakes, but now plays much better,” said the Swiss ex-ref.

“No national team arrives at the World Cup perfect – it’s the same for us. We know that we have to improve.”

Busacca believes delays while situations are checked are worth the sacrifice for lowering the risk of wrongly-awarded goals.

He also said controvers­ial scenes will be replayed on screens at the World Cup stadiums so fans can see why decisions were reached.

He revealed that VAR officials will wear full refereeing kit while sat in the viewing studio in Moscow, so they feel part of the action.

“VAR officials sweat with the stress – believe me,” added Pierluigi Collina, chairman of the referees committee at Fifa.

“They couldn’t go into the box wearing a shirt, suit and tie – that is why they will be wearing the kit,” explained the former top Italian ref.

Collina said it is time for the VAR to prove its worth, “the time of action has come”, but he rejected the notion that it removes some spontaneit­y.

VAR often leaves players unsure whether to celebrate, or wait until the goal is given, after hitting the back of the net.

However, the Italian sidesteppe­d the question whether referees had been specifical­ly briefed to halt games – or even order the teams off – if, as feared, there are racist incidents in Russia.

“There is a three-step procedure and they are ready to go through with it if need be,” said Collina.

The “Three-step procedure” means if there is a racist or discrimina­tory chanting, the referee can pause the match to request an announceme­nt asking for the chanting to stop.

If it persists, the ref can suspend the match and request another announceme­nt, then wait until the chanting stops, but if it still does not cease, he can abandon the game. – AFP

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