All countries to implement use of VAR by 2023 – Referee Alex Kotey

Retired FIFA Referee, CAF/FIFA Referee Instructor, and Ghana Football Association (GFA) Referees Manager Mr. Alex Kotey has disclosed that the world’s footballing governing body, Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), has given an ultimatum to all footballing countries under the association to implement Video Assistant Referee popularly known as VAR by 2023.

According to him, plans are far advanced for the implementation of the new technology across the globe.

Mr. Kotey made this disclosure when he appeared on the “Saving Our Passion” programme on the GTV Sports+ platform, on Thursday, March 31, 2022.

He stressed that training of referees and other personnel are ongoing to ensure that all countries under the Association become compliant.

Video Assistant Referee popularly known as VAR is a new technology added to a football match to ensure fairness in the game. VAR is an assistant referee who reviews decisions made by the main referee with the use of video footage and a headset for communication.

The technology makes it possible to review real-time replays and slow-motion replays to check for intensity and contact respectively.

The technology makes it possible to review actions on the pitch from various angles to ensure that the best decision is taken for the team.

The VAR is a match official in association football who reviews decisions made by the referee.

Following extensive trialing in a number of major competitions, VAR was first written into the Laws of the Game by the International Football Association Board (IFAB) in 2018.

Operating under the philosophy of “minimal interference, maximum benefit”, the VAR system seeks to provide a way for “clear and obvious errors” and “serious missed incidents” to be corrected.

VAR can also be influenced by match officials with the intent of match-fixing which is a criminal offense.

VAR was conceived by the Refereeing 2.0 project in the early 2010s, under the direction of the Royal Netherlands Football Association (KNVB).

The system was tested through mock trials during the 2012–13 season of the Eredivisie, the country’s top football league.