Should VAR be used in football?

Encyclopedia of Opinion

Question: Should VAR be used in football?
Position‹2 of 3›: No. VAR has made football worse
Argument‹6 of 6: VAR can't review everything

A game of football will be filled with risky challenges and potential handballs, never mind action off the ball. Looking at every moment simply isn't possible and looking only at "important" moments isn't fair.

The argument

Fans, players, and managers do not agree on how VAR should be used. VAR has been criticized for not intervening enough and for intervening when unneeded. The subjectivity surrounding a referees' decisions further points to how VAR does not necessarily reduce bias since a human is still behind the decision. For example, VAR officials often overturn on-field penalty decisions that had actually been correct. Fans and players argue about the outcomes of decisions for weeks after the game. The subjectivity surrounding VAR, a technology that should add objectivity to the game, further shows that VAR is insufficient, unnecessary, and creates more problems than it solves for the already subjective, risky game of football.

Premises

[P1]Fans, players, and managers do not agree on how VAR should be used, and it is criticised both for intervening too little and for intervening when it is not needed. [P2] A human referee still makes the subjective call — VAR officials even overturn on-field penalty decisions that had been correct — so the technology fails to remove bias and leaves fans arguing over outcomes for weeks. [C] Therefore VAR can't review everything objectively; it is insufficient and creates more problems than it solves, making football worse.

Counter-arguments

Even if VAR cannot review everything, VAR allows the referee to review a play and make more informed decisions. Just because VAR cannot review everything does not mean it should be abandoned. A referee can still receive help from VAR, in the form of an objective video recording. VAR makes the game fairer by giving referees more information to help make their decision. A video recording reduces the chances of referees making biased decisions or of players cheating. Just because VAR cannot review everything does not mean it can still review something and help make the game fairer.

Rejecting the premises

[Rejecting P2 and P3] A camera captures events without bias, helping referees make more objective decisions.

Proponents cited

Alan Biggs
“If VAR now looks inconsistent (one unclear & obvious penalty claim upheld, another not) what it proves is that these are matters of opinion/ interpretation. VAR is not a machine. It’s as fallible as we all are. Hence go with ref in most cases.”
Graeme Le Saux
“We’ve seen both good use of VAR (Griezmann pen FRA) and bad use of VAR ( Pavon appeal ARG) already today. Officials can always hide behind the “clear and obvious” get out of jail card. The outcome still is large inconsistencies. #FifaWorldCup2018”
Gary Lineker
“Once again, the technology can’t prove tight decisions. Two replays is the maximum you need to see if the referee’s assistants have badly erred. Get rid of the silly lines and dots. If it’s that tight go with on-field decision.”