FA Chief Executive Martin Glenn has announced that he expects to see the use of the new Video Assistant Referees system in the coming season’s FA Cup. He believes that VARs will benefit the game and is confident that the systems will function without any hitches.
“I am very happy that there is testing across the world that we can learn from so that when we apply it in English competitions we know that this is going to work” he told reporters.
Martin spoke after the International Football Association Board (IFAB), soccer’s global rule making body, announced a host of new measures that will be explored in the hopes of improving the game. The football associations of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, as well as four representatives from FIFA, convened at the 131st annual general meeting at Wembley to address a new strategy to improve fairness and develop the beautiful game.
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One of the main areas of focus was the continued implementation of technology across all levels of the game. The use of the VAR is designed to help referees make better decisions.
According to FIFA President Gianni Infantino, “VARs are positive because they will allow that the right decision is taken in a game-changing circumstance.”
Another sign VARs will become an integral part of the game, was FIFA president Infantino’s statement after the IFAB meeting announcing that FIFA wants to implement the systems in the upcoming 2018 World Cup in Russia. He had said the same in November.
Back in November, The Telegraph reported that VARs have already been tested in the Premier League, albeit in secret. The head of the Professional Game Match Officials Ltd, Mike Riley, confirmed the news, saying “technology that can help referees in making the correct decision without disrupting the flow of the game will be considered. The IFAB has committed to experimenting for a minimum of two years. We have trialed using VARs for 12 Premier League games so far this season.”
The system will only be used to review game-changing incidents, which include: goals, penalties, red cards and cases of mistaken identity.
The introduction of technology in soccer has always been a hot topic of discussion among the players, coaches, officials and referees. Former UEFA president Michel Platini and former FIFA president Sepp Blatter were always reluctant to introduce more technology, while the new regimes in both organizations seem to be willing to give technology a chance.
Referees, similarly to other human beings, will always make mistakes. VARs can help them in making better decisions. So far, the trials have typically lasted no more than 40 seconds.