A proposal to eliminate the VAR
After five years of implementation, the video referee (VAR) system in the English Premier League is in danger of disappearing. According to The Athletic, the league’s 20 clubs will vote on June 6 on the elimination of VAR starting with the 2024/25 season. This proposal has been submitted by Wolverhampton Wanderers and will require the favorable vote of at least 14 of the 20 club representatives at the Annual General Meeting held in Harrogate.
Arguments against VAR
Wolverhampton have argued that VAR has had negative consequences on football. Among them are the confusion generated, a more hostile environment, the impact on the celebration of goals and the decrease in the responsibility of the referees on the field. Furthermore, it has been pointed out that the VAR has analyzed subjective decisions instead of correcting clear and obvious errors. The disruption to the fast pace of the Premier League due to constant review of plays has also been mentioned.
Recent controversies
Wolverhampton’s proposal comes after a series of controversies related to VAR. In a match between Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur, controversy arose over a goal that was validated even though the lines showed that the player was offside. This situation has led to criticism of VAR and may have contributed to Wolverhampton’s move to remove it from the league.
The future of VAR in the Premier League
The final decision on the future of VAR in the Premier League will be made on June 6. If Wolverhampton’s proposal is approved, the video referee system will be eliminated from the 2024/25 season. It will be interesting to see how this debate develops and what the impact will be on English football.
