VAR decisions to be explained on screens in stadiums at World Cup
Wednesday 18 April 2018 21:07, UK
FIFA have confirmed replays and written explanations will be displayed on screens inside stadiums at the World Cup to help fans understand decisions made by video assistant referees (VARs).
World football's governing body plans to place an official in the video operations room who will listen to the VAR's decision and communicate that to television and stadium personnel.
Sebastian Runge, group leader of football innovation at FIFA, said: "We will have graphics on the giant screens, we will have replays after the decision on the giant screens, and we will also inform the fans about the outcome of a VAR incident and review."
FIFA's referees chief Pierluigi Collina also confirmed they may hold post-match press conferences to explain on-field decisions - but only in extraordinary circumstances.
He explained: "If something should happen that we think should properly and accurately be explained - and it doesn't matter if it's related to VAR or something different - if it is a matter to explain the background of a decision, as an exception certainly we will do it.
"But it won't be a post-match press conference for every match, explaining every single decision taken during every single match."
FIFA will hold a training camp this month for the 99 referees and assistant referees they have selected to take part in the World Cup in Russia.
Furthermore, they are training 13 VARs in Italy, with more officials expected to be added to that list at a later date.
VARs can support referees in four different circumstances: goals and offences in the build-up to goals; penalty decisions and offences in the build-up to penalty decisions; direct red cards; and cases of mistaken identity.
Collina added: "The goal of VAR is to avoid major mistakes. The objective is not to have clear and obvious mistakes committed on the field of play. This is the target, the goal is not to re-referee the match using technology.
"There will continue to be incidents when a final answer will not be given and there will be different opinions."
