The Video Assistant Referee, What You Need to Know

Football or Soccer as known on American lands and also referred to as the beautiful old game is transforming from the the old technical game we knew to a dynamic technology game. Football have being rocked with disputed decisions which have made the headlines in previous years. The goal line technology which is currently being used in the English Premier League is part of the technological advancements introduced to help referees make good decisions.

In this article, SportsGoogly will discuss the new referee to be added to the referees that we have and that is the FIFA Video Assistant Referees. The FIFA Video Assistant Referees will help the referee in making his/her decisions. The video assistant referee technology is currently been tested and after a successful testing, FIFA will introduce it into its competitions. The technology is currently being used in the Major League Soccer (MLS) in the United States and also sample testing is being under taken in Europe. This is what you need to know about the Video Assistant Referee.

In football we have four referees, center referee, two assistant referees and a fourth official. Each of these officials have their roles on the pitch same as the video assistant referee. The main roles and duties of the video assistant referee are explained below.

• Goals: The role of the Video Assistant Referee is to assist the referee to determine whether there was an infringement that means a goal should not be awarded. As the ball has crossed the line, the play has already been interrupted so that there is no direct impact on the game.
• PenaltyDecision: The role of the Video Assistant Referee is to ensure that no clearly wrong decisions are made in conjunction with the award or non-award of a penalty.
• Red Card Incidents: The role of the Video Assistant Referee is to ensure that no clearly wrong decisions are made in conjunction with the sending off of a player.
• Mistaken Identity:  If the referee cautions or send off the wrong player, or is unsure which player should be sanctioned, the video assistant referee will inform the referee so that the correct player can be disciplined.

Many are those who ask how the video assistant referee works. This is how decision making with the video assistant referee and the referee is made.

                 Step 1
The referee informs the Video Assistant Referee or the Video Assistant Referee recommends to the referee that a decision/incident should be reviewed.

                    Step 2
The video footage is reviewed by the Video Assistant Referee who advise the referee via headset with what the video shows.

                     Step 3
The referee decides to review the video footage at the side of the video footage at the side of the pitch before taking the appreciate action/decision.

                   Or
The referee accepts the information from the Video Assistant Referee and takes the appreciate action/decision.

FIFA the world governing football body must test any technology that is being introduced in to the game. After successful test, FIFA will pass or decline the technology. The FIFA Quality programme is dedicated to testing and accepting the programme. There are four stages that the test will pass through which are;

  Safety

The safety of athletes and all others involved in the game of football must be guaranteed. For every project in the FIFA Quality Programme, extensive tests are conducted and continuous research is performed to ensure that health and injury risks are minimized. These tests range from material analysis to mechanical, biomechanical and medical studies of the product in question.

Durability

In order to truly develop football, all related products must withstand a reasonable amount of use over time. Through wear and tear tests and repeated simulations of use, the FIFA Quality Programme seeks to ensure that the end user’s investment will last. Research into tests to better assess and thus improve the product lifespan is therefore another key area.

Performance

For football to be played in the best possible conditions, all related equipment must perform at the highest level. Test methods are developed based on objective comparisons as well as the requirements of players and all others involved in the game. With its different categories, the FIFA Quality Programme aims to tailor the product to the needs of the specific group.

Quality Assurance

Under the FIFA Quality Programme, the product must meet the end user’s high expectations. This area therefore consists of helping the user to better understand the product, performing regular spot testing of approved products and ensuring manufacturers’ compliance with codes of conduct, such as international labour standards.

The Video Assistant Referee have have come to stay and is it has already being tested in live football matches which have being successful. FIFA is devoted to making the game of football a fair and unbiased game. With the Referees Video Assist the game of football will be balanced and referees will have the benefit of the doubt to make good decisions.