What does it take for a stadium to obtain VAR? Millions of dollars are spent in a year

Digital video technology, known as VAR, is one of the most helpful technologies that have come to correct referees' mistakes, which could create discord among teams and their executives and frustrate their fans.

 

VAR ‘Video Assistant Referee’, helps the referee (or his team) who is not on the field, collaborate with the referee on the field in making only four crucial decisions while the game is on.

 

These decisions include confirming or denying an error if the goal is scored in the event of a doubt, a penalty decision, confirming that the player is to be given a red card immediately and also used in the event of an error by the referee, and releasing the player who has not made a mistake.

 

Although this technology is being used, not every stadium can be able to use it as there are requirements in terms of finances, stadium layout, and other rules set by the International Federation of Football Associations (IFAB), on the interaction of close to the World Football Association, FIFA.

 

The technology, which began testing in 2016 in the United States, was approved in early 2018. Its use was approved at a meeting in Bogotá, Colombia on March 16, 2018.

 

At the World Cup in Russia, the referees set up a special room in Moscow, they used 33 cameras, eight of which had exceptional ability to move slowly and four-dimensional images, making them faster and slower. In addition, the two other screens were to check the offside players that were used by the assistant referee among the video users.

 

There were four of them in the room, one of whom was in charge. The other four were responsible for reversing the image so that their peers see the corners of the target or the appropriate camera to show what happened.

 

What are the requirements that are needed to use VAR in a particular stadium?

 

There is a number of steps from FIFA you need to go through to be eligible to use VAR.

 

The first is that there should be a room for video surveillance at the stadium. The room may be near or in the stadium, or in designated vehicles.

 

This room must have the ability to receive all images quickly.

 

At least four cameras are needed on the field. One can show the field wide, the other can show small parts of the field and the other two can indicate the players who are offside on both sides of the field.

 

It would be nice if there were cameras that could show slower motion pictures, and according to FIFA if all cameras are eight it’s better, and all midfield referees should have the ability and access to see all footage from those cameras.

 

The VAR room screens must be able to show the entire gameplay and show different parts of the field for error detection and this one takes a few seconds to make the view more visible.

 

There must also be a way to draw lines in the field to make a living decision for the player who is offside. Here VAR technology uses 3D technology to identify the offside players by drawing lines.

 

VAR also requires an external video screen on the field to help the referee see what he or she has not been able to see in the game and there is a need for communication between the VAR room and the referees on the pitch.

 

In the event of a dispute, the referee in the middle of the field will use audio technology and have a headset worn by talking to the video controllers. They are the ones to help him make any decision in case of any doubt.

 

When the referee is required to examine the suspicious past using the screen that is on the side of the way to the dressing room he draws a rectangle sing in the air with his fingertips.

 

Once the VAR equipment is installed in the stadium, the FIFA Department of Technology will review the technology and make sure everything meets the requirements.

 

After the assessment, you are notified when to receive a response that allows you to use it or not.

 

VAR technology requires at least $ 6 million a year for sports alone.

 

Morocco became the first African country to use VAR technology in the Morocco championship match where IRT Tangiers' won 2-1 against FUS Rabat.

 

The technology was also used in the AFCON 2019 in Egypt from the quarter-finals to the final, although CAF had planned to use it from the semi-finals.

 

Many African countries are not implementing VARs, due to financial issues.

 

It may take a while for VAR to be used effectively in the African Championships after many countries are showing signs of underperformance in their respective leagues.

At some point the referee first talks to others in the VAR room before going to check on the screen

It is too expensive for African championships to use VAR

VAR technology helps in making goal decision

Writer: Christian Mugisha