Premier League clubs are set to hold a vote at their annual general meeting next month on a proposal to abolish the video assistant referee (VAR) system from the start of next season.
VAR has been used in the English top-flight since 2019, helping improve decision making but also generating persistent controversy.
The 2023-24 campaign has featured many contentious incidents, which has heightened the criticism of VAR and led some teams and fans to question the competition’s integrity.
A resolution has now been formally submitted to the Premier League by Wolverhampton Wanderers calling for VAR to be scrapped this summer — and that will trigger a vote when representatives of the 20 clubs assemble for their yearly gathering, in Harrogate on June 6.
A Wolves statement said the move came “after careful consideration and with the utmost respect for the Premier League, (referees body) PGMOL and our fellow competitors.
“There is no blame to be placed – we are all just looking for the best possible outcome for football – and all stakeholders have been working hard to try and make the introduction of additional technology a success.
“However, after five seasons of VAR in the Premier League, it is time for a constructive and critical debate on its future.
“Our position is that the price we are paying for a small increase in accuracy is at odds with the spirit of our game, and as a result we should remove it from the 2024/25 season onwards.”
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Premier League clubs to vote on scrapping VAR from next season
WOLVERHAMPTON, ENGLAND – APRIL 24: Referee
Stuart Attwell checks the VAR monitor before disallowing the goal scored by Hwang Hee-Chan of Wolverhampton Wanderers (not pictured) following a foul in the build up by Matheus Cunha of Wolverhampton Wanderers (not pictured) during the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and AFC Bournemouth at Molineux on April 24, 2024 in Wolverhampton, England. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
By David Ornstein
20m ago
Premier League clubs are set to hold a vote at their annual general meeting next month on a proposal to abolish the video assistant referee (VAR) system from the start of next season.
VAR has been used in the English top-flight since 2019, helping improve decision making but also generating persistent controversy.
The 2023-24 campaign has featured many contentious incidents, which has heightened the criticism of VAR and led some teams and fans to question the competition’s integrity.
A resolution has now been formally submitted to the Premier League by Wolverhampton Wanderers calling for VAR to be scrapped this summer — and that will trigger a vote when representatives of the 20 clubs assemble for their yearly gathering, in Harrogate on June 6.
A Wolves statement said the move came “after careful consideration and with the utmost respect for the Premier League, (referees body) PGMOL and our fellow competitors.
“There is no blame to be placed – we are all just looking for the best possible outcome for football – and all stakeholders have been working hard to try and make the introduction of additional technology a success.
“However, after five seasons of VAR in the Premier League, it is time for a constructive and critical debate on its future.
“Our position is that the price we are paying for a small increase in accuracy is at odds with the spirit of our game, and as a result we should remove it from the 2024/25 season onwards.”
Wolves submitted the resolution to the Premier League (Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
A Premier League spokesperson said: “The Premier League can confirm it will facilitate a discussion on VAR with our clubs at the annual general meeting next month.
“Clubs are entitled to put forward proposals at shareholders’ meetings and we acknowledge the concerns and issues around the use of VAR.
“However, the league fully supports the use of VAR and remains committed, alongside PGMOL, to make continued improvements to the system for the benefit of the game and fans.”
Wolves accepted the decision to introduce VAR was “made in good faith and with the best interests of football and the Premier League at its heart” but argued it has caused “numerous unintended negative consequences that are damaging the relationship between fans and football, and undermining the value of the Premier League brand”.
They listed a host of repercussions, such as:
Impact on goal celebrations and the spontaneous passion that makes football special
Frustration and confusion inside stadiums due to lengthy VAR checks and poor communication
A more hostile atmosphere with protests, booing of the Premier League anthem and chants against VAR
Overreach of VAR’s original purpose to correct clear and obvious mistakes, now overanalysing subjective decisions and compromising the game’s fluidity and integrity
Diminished accountability of on-field officials, due to the safety net of VAR, leading to an erosion of authority on the pitch
Continued errors despite VAR, with supporters unable to accept human error after multiple views and replays, damaging confidence in officiating standards
Disruption of the Premier League’s fast pace with lengthy VAR checks and more added time, causing matches to run excessively long
Constant discourse about VAR decisions often overshadowing the match itself, and tarnishing the reputation of the league
Erosion of trust and reputation, with VAR fuelling completely nonsensical allegations of corruption
VAR has again been at the centre of multiple high-profile flashpoints in the past nine months.
Liverpool’s Luis Diaz saw a goal wrongly disallowed for offside against Tottenham Hotspur in September before Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was left angered by the decision to allow Anthony Gordon’s winning goal to stand for Newcastle United against his side in November.
Nottingham Forest have written letters of complaint to — and considered suing — PGMOL, while also questioning the appointment of VAR Stuart Attwell following April’s defeat at Everton.
Diaz’s disallowed goal was one of a number of incidents (Marc Atkins/Getty Images)
IFAB (International Football Association Board), the independent body responsible for the laws of the game, states that VARs can only assist a match official in the event of a “clear and obvious error” or “serious missed incident”.
They can step in on decisions over goals, no goals, penalties, direct red cards or cases of mistaken identity.
Sweden last month became the first country to reject implementing VAR after a fan backlash.
Supporters from clubs — where there must be a minimum of 51 per cent fan-ownership — prompted the climbdown after the president of the Swedish Football Association, Fredrik Reinfeldt, had previously backed the idea.
Premier League clubs have a constitutional right to put forward rule changes, with any proposal needing a two thirds (14-6) majority to pass.
The top-flight’s board of directors believes removing VAR is not the correct path forward, suggesting that doing so would increase wrong calls and adversely impact the Premier League’s reputation among Europe’s leading divisions.
It also thinks the void left, having removed VAR, would potentially place even greater criticism on on-field decisions made by match officials and increase frustration for supporters.
The league points to innovations such as semi-automated offside technology (SAOT) — which was voted through unanimously in April — and in-stadium VAR announcements as evidence of the efforts being made to improve the system.
The post Premier League clubs to vote on scrapping VAR from next season appeared first on Fan Banter.
Source - fanbanter.co.uk