Playing, watching football can never be the same

The ongoing Confederations Cup football tournament is, according to Fifa, making history for the world’s most popular sport. The use of video assistance referees (VARs) is being tested and football’s governing body is describing it as “the future” of the game. It’s certainly a big deal for the fans, because if VARs do become the norm, the sport will never be the same.
As expected, there is uproar. VARs have resulted in frustrating lag time before goals can be celebrated and even the cancellation of goals, just as Fifa and the anti-VAR camp warned all along. Football thrives on controversy, even downright injustice, they said. Goals that shouldn’t stand, undeserved red cards, “dives” that win penalties – all part of the game’s charm, they said. But this is about to change if the VAR experiment works well enough.
Fifa made a U-turn to endorse the trial project as a result of relentless high-profile blunders by referees. Faulty decisions have altered the course of key tournaments, including the prestigious World Cup. The VAR arrives on the heels of so-called “goal-line technology” being applied to determine whether the ball has crossed the goal line or not – often a split-second occurrence that human eyes can’t necessarily see.
The goal-line technology was welcomed, but it’s been inadequate in solving other major problems. Hands are still being used to score goals. Players are still diving to draw penalties and faking injury to get opponents sent off. VARs can tackle such nuisances, say its advocates, who now include Fifa.
The fresh problem that arises is needless suspense. Players and fans are used to reacting immediately to the sound of a goal whistle. Those emotions will have to be held in check with the advent of the VAR. As one Thai commentator said, 80 to 90 per cent of goals are controversial in some way or another. Marginal offsides, a little shoving here and there, and contact that could be spotted only in super-slow-motion precede every goal, he pointed out. All of that would necessitate consultation with the VAR.
The system involves special referees sitting in a designated area watching video replays of goals, red cards and the like. Anytime an on-field referee is unsure what’s happened, the VAR is consulted on the ruling. Those manning the system can intervene if they determine the referee has made a wrong call. Unlike badminton or tennis, though, football players won’t be able to challenge a call to activate the VAR process.
It’s possible that football could be drained of some of its fun – if controversy and injustice constituted fun, as Fifa insisted. Unfairness has been part of the game ever since it was first played. Fifa, in long refusing to implement on-the-spot video reviews of contentious incidents encouraged ugly, un-sportsmanlike behaviour on the pitch. The fans have done their part by cheering players who are able to fool the referees.
We can only hope that the VAR process can be tweaked if it begins seriously disrupting the flow of the game. In the meantime, football should be able to remain the world’s most popular sport, and, even better, be popular for the right reason. If VARs can help, everyone should give the system a chance.