Premier League clubs have voted in favour of continuing with Video Assistant Referee (VAR) for the upcoming season. Despite the considerable amount of criticism that VAR received last season, 19 out of 20 Premier League clubs have voted to retain the technology.
BBC reported that Wolverhampton Wanderers who wrote to the Premier League last month to scrap the maligned system has backed the abolition of VAR. There were several controversies surrounding the technology in the 2023/24 campaign but the Premier League has acknowledged that some improvements were required in the current system.
A statement read: “Premier League clubs today voted in favour of continuing to operate VAR in the Premier League. While VAR produces more accurate decision-making, it was agreed that improvements should be made for the benefit of the game and supporters. As part of thorough discussions at the Annual General Meeting, it was agreed that PGMOL, the Premier League and clubs all have important roles to play in improving the system and its reputation.”
Which six key areas were focused on as part of discussions with clubs?
The Premier League has announced six areas where the VAR system needs improvement since the average delay in decision-making has increased by more than 50%. They have highlighted six key areas regarding the VAR technology following a discussion with Premier League clubs.
- Maintaining a high threshold for VAR intervention.
- Minimizing delays to the game, primarily through the introduction of semiautomated offside technology (SAOT).
- Enhancing fan experience through a reduction in VAR delays and in-stadium announcements from referees to explain post-VAR decision changes.
- Working with PGMOL to implement more robust VAR training to improve consistency while preserving accuracy.
- Increasing transparency and communication around VAR.
- Introducing a fan and stakeholder VAR communication campaign to better clarify VAR’s role in the game.
There will be a certain change in the Premier League next season when the semi-automated offside technology gets introduced. It’s a technology that will provide quicker and more consistent decisions having previously been used in the Champions League and World Cup.
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