Premier League clubs, on Thursday, voted to keep the Video Assistant Referee, VAR.
The clubs voted 19-1 as Wolverhampton Wanderers failed to receive any support from other teams in their bid to get VAR scrapped.
Wolves experienced from some high profile VAR errors in the 2023/2024 season, and lodged a motion at the end-of-season AGM stating that “the price we are paying for a small increase in accuracy is at odds with the spirit of our game, and as a result we should remove it from the 2024/25 season onwards.”
They needed fourteen clubs to back the motion against the use of VAR
Club agreed six action points for the improvement of VAR:
1. Maintaining a high threshold for VAR intervention to deliver greater consistency and less interruptions to the flow of the game.
2. Reducing delays to the game, primarily through the introduction of semi-automated offside technology (SAOT) and the maintained high threshold for VAR intervention.
3. Improving fan experience through a reduction in the delays, in-stadium announcements from referees after a post-VAR change of decision and where possible, an enhanced offering of big screen replays to include all VAR interventions.
4. Working with PGMOL on the implementation of more robust VAR training to improve consistency, including an emphasis on speed of process while preserving accuracy.
5. Increasing transparency and communication around VAR — including expanded communications from Premier League Match Centre and through broadcast programming
6. The delivery of a fan and stakeholder VAR communication campaign, which will seek to further clarify VAR’s role in the game to participants and supporters.
Alleluia is the Assistant Editor and Content Writer at LagosPost.ng. She is a prolific writer and editor, she has written features and news stories on Lifestyle, Sports, Business, Politics and B2B marketing. She is also an event coordinator, host and social media content creator.
