Trying to Put a VAR Genie Back in a Bottle

 When VAR was originally introduced, the idea was that it would be used to avoid "clear and obvious" errors and who could doubt the wisdom of that. Unfortunately, mission creep has occurred on a massive scale and now VAR (or TMO, video ref, big screen) is used on such a massive scale that it is allowed to disrupt games to a far greater extent than originally envisaged. We have reached a point where sport is no longer recognisable. The flow and continuity of the game is disrupted and any drama is often dissipated. 

This is true for all major football codes (soccer, union and league) but it is particularly a problem in soccer where decisions are often analysed to such a minute degree that the game can be interrupted for up to ten minutes. This takes place in winter and players are left standing around in pouring rain or freezing cold. Spectators suffer in bad weather too and they are often oblivious to the VAR decisions being made.

Obviously, accurate decision making is important but surely drama and the flow of the game are important too especially when a very significant proportion of the decisions made do not have a definitive answer.

A good example would be the recent RL Challenge Cup Final between Hull KR and Warrington where Hull KR scored a late try to win the game. Many people, including the commentators thought that the Warrington player grounded the ball with his torso and the try should've been disallowed. The referee thought otherwise, awarded the try and that was the end of that but it wasn't clear cut. It was very subjective and we can look at footage for years without agreeing. It was a matter of opinion and there was no definitive answer. I personally thought that use of VAR reduced the drama of the situation.

In my opinion, the technical specifications of the VAR system used mean that it is not suitable for the sort of minute detail, in depth analysis which has developed. TV pictures are not continuous footage but in reality a series of still images called frames which are perceived as continuous by the human brain due to something called persistence of vision. Standard TV pictures are 50 frames per second which means there is 0.02 seconds between each frame. A fit, fast man can run 100 metres in approximately 10 seconds which is speed of 10 metres per second. This means that a fit, fast professional footballer could run 0.2 metres (which is 20 centimetres) between frames. A kicked football could move much faster. The position of a player or the ball could possibly vary by more than 20 centimetres between frames. It is ridiculous to zoom in and look at offside decisions which involve distances of a few millimetres. The system used isn't accurate enough.

In last year's RL World Club Challenge between Wigan and Penrith, towards the end Bevan French scored a try when Harry Smith kicked ahead from a scrum and he won the race to the ball. The referee awarded the try but ufortunately, VAR was used and the try was disallowed because French was judged to be millimetres offside. A great, well worked try which would've been a fitting, dramatic climax to an exciting game was disallowed on flimsy evidence. It was such a shame.

VAR has actually evolved into a scientific measuring device. Usually, scientific measurements are quoted to a specific accuracy e.g. + or - 2% and this is taken into account when used. The same should apply with VAR. The system is only accurate to the nearest 20 centimetres and shouldn't be used to judge distances less than that.

If (a very big if) you can identify the correct frame, measurement could be made from that and decisions made. In reality, how do you choose the correct frame? There are 50 per second with players and the ball all potentially in massively different positions on each one. It would be very difficult.

If it was up to me, I would abolish VAR altogether and let the referee make the decisions. Of, course, they would make mistakes but they do anyway, even with VAR. Matches would flow better, have better continuity and be more dramatic. 

It won't happen. Most of the money in sport comes from TV and they will want it to continue. Too many important people would have to admit they were wrong.

 You cannot put a genie back in a bottle.