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Should VAR be used in football? Should VAR be used in football?
Yes. VAR is a net positive to the game Yes. VAR is a net positive to the game
No. VAR has made football worse No. VAR has made football worse
Yes, but something needs to change Yes, but something needs to change
VAR makes the game fairer VAR makes the game fairer
VAR will reduce cheating and fouling VAR will reduce cheating and fouling
VAR can create a more attacking game VAR can create a more attacking game
Normal referees make too many mistakes Normal referees make too many mistakes
Goal-line technology in football was a great success Goal-line technology in football was a great success
VAR should lead to less complaining VAR should lead to less complaining
Fans can no longer celebrate goals in the same way Fans can no longer celebrate goals in the same way
Mistakes are part of the game Mistakes are part of the game
VAR kills the passion of the game VAR kills the passion of the game
VAR takes too long VAR takes too long
Football is too free-flowing for VAR Football is too free-flowing for VAR
VAR can't review everything VAR can't review everything
VAR could be fixed if it allowed for the 'benefit of the doubt' VAR could be fixed if it allowed for the 'benefit of the doubt'
VAR is being deliberately sabotaged in England VAR is being deliberately sabotaged in England
Video review has been a success in other sports Video review has been a success in other sports
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Should VAR be used in football?
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No. VAR has made football worse

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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.
Alan Biggs Graeme Le Saux Gary Lineker
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The Argument

Fans, players, and managers do not agree on how VAR should be used.[1] VAR has been criticized for not intervening enough[2] and for intervening when unneeded.[3] The subjectivity surrounding a referees' decisions further points to how VAR does not necessarily reduce bias since a human is still behind the decision.[4] For example, VAR officials often overturn on-field penalty decisions that had actually been correct.[5] 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.

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.[6] Just because VAR cannot review everything does not mean it can still review something and help make the game fairer.

Proponents

Premises

[P1] Football is already full of uncertainty. [P2] Recording every single moment at every single angle is impossible, even by a camera. [P3] Decisions still rely on human subjectivity: the referee’s decision. [P4] Using VAR when a referee must make a subjective decision anyway defeats the point of using it in the first place.

Rejecting the premises

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

References

  1. https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/premier-league-var-wrong-offside-review-ifab-goals-replays-a9264306.html
  2. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/time-for-var-to-intervene-on-clear-penalties-txhlwppw7
  3. https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/50196675
  4. https://www.cnn.com/2019/03/08/football/var-manchester-united-psg-champions-league-spt-intl/index.html
  5. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/23/sports/premier-league-var-mike-riley.html
  6. https://www.parlia.com/a/makes-game-fairer
This page was last edited on Thursday, 1 Oct 2020 at 07:34 UTC

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