Tennis and cricket-style 'challenges' coming to football with new VAR system
A new system of VAR is being trialled for use in leagues with fewer resources that would see teams able to challenge the decisions of officials rather that having a video assistant referee
by Scott Trotter · The MirrorTrials for a new VAR system that would see coaches given the opportunity to challenge decisions, like players do in tennis and cricket, have been expanded.
Football Video Support (FVS), an alternative to the current VAR set-up, has been approved for wider testing by the International Football Association Board. Rather than reviews being assessed and controlled by an official who takes the position of video assistant referee, FVS instead hands coaches two challenges per match to highlight errors they feel have been made.
The alternative system, for the moment, is designed for use in leagues with fewer resources and has been tested in the under-20 and under-17 FIFA Women's World Cups earlierthis year, after being greenlit in March. It is designed for competition that sees no more than four cameras, as opposed to divisions with hefty resources.
Legendary referee Pierluigi Collina, now the chairman of FIFA's referees' committee, has endeavoured to make clear that FVS is distinct from VAR. The Italian was keen to see further testing of the system and has been successful in his request.
"We are at the beginning of the trial and the experiences at both the U20 and U17 FIFA Women's World Cup will be carefully analysed but so far, we haven't noticed anything unexpected," Collina told ESPN last month. "Several FIFA member associations already showed the interest to participate to the trial.
"Making clear that FVS is not VAR is critical, in particular in terms of expectation. Because of the limited number of cameras, FVS won't be able to show what VAR can show. Offside is an example: without cameras properly positioned, only clear offside can be spotted. This makes the on-field decision important too.
"FVS is designed to work with a limited camera set up, ideally up to four to five. With more cameras, the process of checking all of the footage and available angles may become very long as, and differently from VAR, there are not any video match officials selecting those clips to be seen by the referee."
The IFAB held its Annual Business Meeting in London and also saw updates on other trials. Members were updated on trials currently addressing goalkeepers holding the ball for too much time, and a second trial that limited captains as being the only player permitted to talk to officials.
Presentations were also offered on trials involving 'public announcements after lengthy VAR checks and VAR reviews', 'developments in relation to semi-automated offside technology ' and 'exploration of the use of referee body cameras by FIFA'.
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