Controversy upon controversy: referees still in the storm over referee and VAR errors. But why is there still no challenge?
VAR a chiamata: cosa ci frena? Un aspetto in particolare suscita dubbi (AnsaFoto) – serieanews.com
Italian soccer seems to find no peace. Each weekend brings with it new refereeing controversies, fueled by episodes that are increasingly difficult to digest. From the expulsion of Tomori, with that red waved after a clear offside, to the sensational case of the ball out by 20 centimeters in Inter-Fiorentina, left incredibly without VAR intervention, chaos reigns supreme.
The climax? The furious altercation between the benches, a clear sign that the tension is getting out of hand. And here’s where a solution seems to be making its way: call-in VAR, or challenge, as in tennis or American football. Much to the chagrin of those who – yes they still exist! – are still opposed to the use of the technology.
Yes, it sounds like science fiction, but Italy could really be the forerunner of this innovation. Yet despite pressure from coaches, managers and fans, something continues to hold back the introduction of this tool. Why? What is really holding us back?
The idea is simple and appealing. Each team would have one or two calls per game, to be used to request review of controversial episodes: questionable penalties, disputed goals, ejection fouls: the only situation in which it would intervene regardless would be semi-automatic offsides, there where therefore the criterion is objective.
But how does the Challenge work? If the referee, after reviewing the action, changes the decision, the team retains the option of a new call. If, on the other hand, he confirms the initial choice, the right to challenge is lost.
Cosa frena l’intervento del challenge? C’è un motivo su tutti
Easy, isn’t it? So why not throw ourselves headlong in this direction? Controversy would be reduced and teams would have a chance to correct egregious refereeing errors. But as is often the case, theory is easier than practice.
Cosa frena l’intervento del challenge? C’è un motivo su tutti (AnsaFoto) – serieanews.com
The main problem concerns playing time and the risk of breaking up the rhythm of the game. Each call could further lengthen the already endless pauses for VAR reviews.
Who decides when to stop play? What if a team uses the call to buy time or break the opponents’ rhythm? Imagine a team with a lead that, with ten minutes to go, calls for a review on an innocuous lateral foul, just to take oxygen away from the opponents. This is probably the main stumbling block, or at any rate one of the most perplexing.
The other major unknown involves subjective decisions. Not all episodes are black and white. Even with VAR, certain situations remain open to the referee’s interpretation. Giving teams the power to choose when to have VAR intervene could generate new controversies instead of reducing them.
Yet despite the misgivings, on-call VAR could soon be a reality, and right in Serie A. The FIGC is considering the idea, aware that something has to change. After years of chaos and confusion, introducing the challenge would be a sign of openness toward more modern and transparent match management.
After all, in soccer as in life, every innovation brings with it doubt and resistance. But after episodes such as those seen recently, the biggest risk would be to continue pretending nothing is happening. Perhaps the time has come to try, to experiment, to adapt to the times. Because stopping, this time, could cost us much more dearly than a few too many breaks.
This article VAR on call: what’s holding us back? One aspect in particular raises doubts appeared in its original version first on SerieANews.
