Video Referral in Football: A step in the Right Direction

The "VAR" might be raking up controversies throughout the globe since its implementation, but has helped the officials to banish wrongful decisions from the beautiful game...

Ever since its implementation, Video Assistant Referee has stirred up a lot of opinions with many debating whether it should stand or should it be ousted after the end of the Confederations Cup. The system, though, has played a huge part in the few Confed Cup games played so far and there have been many overturning of decisions because of the help of this technological support.

We all know how referees live on the edge and ire of fans in football, with some of their decisions making enough noise to want their heads throughout the season. But one can't exactly blame them for getting some decisions incorrect, as even they have to move along with the players and can only notice so much with a human eye. Now, with the introduction of the VAR, these mistakes can be rectified and is already proving to be decisive in a big stage like at the trailer of the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

The system works similarly to those used in cricket or rugby league, with an additional referee able to review footage in a booth before offering advice to the match referee on "game changing" decision which includes goals, penalty calls, and straight red cards. 

The VAR came into work at the 1st match-day itself, when Portugal defender Pepe's goal against Mexico was disallowed after it was discovered that he was offside by the Video Assistant Referee. It stirred more controversy when Eduardo Vargas' 1st half strike against Cameroon was ruled out after rigorous checking, much to the dismay and anger of the Chile unit.

While some footballers and their managers might not be in terms with the VAR, it is a technology which should be used in order to make football a fair and clean game again. We've seen so many teams wrongfully succeed from wrongly given goals or decisions and there are tons of examples in favor of VAR being implemented all around. The English Premier League, for example, had numerous wrongfully allowed goals last season, with the top teams itself benefitting from disallowed goals because of the referee's mistakes.

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Manchester United had over 6 disallowed goals last season itself and how can one forget that horrific offside goal Cristiano Ronaldo scored in the controversial win over Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League? Arsene Wenger supported claims for bringing in VAR as he claimed that Arsenal could've won the Champions League in 2006 had Barcelona's offside equalizer been disallowed when the Gunners were a goal up.

Whether footballers like it or not, the VAR is the future of football and needs to be implemented in the big leagues all over the world so that the game can be ridden off dirty tactics like diving and can put an end to football teams and players being wrongfully made to pay for a referee's mistake. We certainly accept the fact that it hinders the game and the passion and stalls the celebration, but with time, every team will come to terms with it and ultimately, the purity of the game remains intact, with irregularities like play acting and mistakenly given decisions filtered out.