VAR backed for use at World Cup by FIFA president Gianni Infantino
Monday 26 February 2018 15:17, UK
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has continued to back the use of video assistant referees at the World Cup in Russia, despite recent controversy surrounding the technology.
VAR, which allows match referee to review decisions on a pitchside monitor or by consulting an assistant who monitors the game on a video, has been trialled in a number of competitions over the past year.
Football's law-making body IFAB is expected to decide on Saturday whether to authorise its use on a permanent basis and Infantino has said that, if VAR is approved, FIFA will use it at this year's World Cup in Russia.
"We have to base decisions on facts and not feelings," Infantino said on the sidelines of the UEFA Congress.
"The facts are that from almost 1,000 matches which were tested, the accuracy rate of the referees went up from 93 per cent to 99 per cent.
"If we, or I, can do something to make sure that the World Cup is not decided by a referee's mistakes, then I think it's our duty to do it.
"Much more time is wasted on throw-ins or free kicks, rather than on correcting a potentially wrong decision with VAR, so I'm still very positive."
The technology has proved controversial, especially in Italy's Serie A, where there have been cases of penalties being revoked after a wait of several minutes or goals being disallowed for minor infringements after similar delays.
However, Infantino feels controversy will always surround football in Italy, saying it is simply the culture of the fans to blame someone or something after the game.
"If you lose the match, before it was the fault of the referee, now it's the fault of VAR...that's part of the customs, of the traditions of Italian football as well," added Infantino.
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin is more hesitant and says VAR will not be used in next season's Champions League campaign, but has hope the technology will flourish with time.
"We will not use it in the Champions League next season," said Ceferin.
"I see a lot of confusion...I think there is no way back any more but we have to educate the referees properly, we have to explain to the fans when it can be used.
"Fans keep seeing the (VAR) screen all the time but nobody knows how it works. For me, it might be a good project but we shouldn't rush it."
Chelsea boss Antonio Conte backed the use of VAR in the Premier League on Sunday following his side's 2-1 loss to Manchester United at Old Trafford, after Alvaro Morata's goal was wrongly adjudged to be offside.
