OPINION: VAR technology in football needs a complete overhaul
VAR once again stole the headlines this weekend in the Premier League with dubious calls affecting results at both ends of the table.
![OPINION: VAR technology in football needs a complete overhaul](https://www.thesouthafrican.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/32HM9VH-highres-scaled.jpg.optimal.jpg?#)
VAR once again stole the headlines this weekend in the Premier League with dubious calls affecting results at both ends of the table.
VAR is front and centre once again on a Monday
West Ham were deprived of what looked like a legitimate equalizer against Chelsea until video referees adjudged Jarrod Bowen to have fouled Blues keeper Edouard Mendy in the buildup.
Alexis Mac Allister’s sumptuous half-volley from range against Leicester was chalked off because a teammate was offside when he attempted a bicycle kick in the phase prior to his goal. The Seagulls went on to win 5-2, so this decision was immaterial. But it deprived him and the global audience of a sublime goal. Isn’t football all about sublime goals?
An imminent review of VAR is overdue, and fortunately it’s on the cards.
VAR also hogs the headlines in Man United vs Arsenal
In arguably the weekend’s most high-profile game, Arsenal scored whay they thought was an opening goal through Gabriel Martinelli but the VAR recommended that Paul Tierney have a look at the buildup. Arsenal skipper Martin Odegaard was adjudged to have fouled Christian Eriksen and the goal was chalked off.
![gabriel martinelli](http://www.thesouthafrican.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/32HM9VH-highres-2048x1365.jpg)
It seems as though VAR is trying to chalk off as many goals as it can. Why is that?
Screenshots/stills of poor decisions made by Premier League officials don’t tell the whole story, but please explain to me why Cristian Romero’s hair-pulling went unpunished and Tyrone Mings’ tackle on Bukayo Saka (below) wasn’t even reviewed? The other two in the screenshot below were and they resulted in perfectly legit goals being overturned.
READ: Five coffee choices and what they say about you
If the referee spends multiple minutes looking at replays of an incident, surely he can’t justifiably state that he has made a clear and obvious error?
I do not wish to fully condemn video technology in football. Goal-line technology is a great example of where video works seamlessly in football without affecting the flow of football matches or wasting time. However, when referees have to interpret video after the VAR prompts them to do so, consistency in decisions seems to fall away.
If a proper overhaul of VAR can’t bring about an environment of consistency and transparency in decisions, there need to be serious considerations about scrapping it altogether. What do you think?
DISCLAIMER: The views contained in this article are the opinions of the author and not those of The South African.