Clubs that are playing in the Premier League today made a bold step and voted on the use of the VAR in the coming 2024/2025 season. The clubs resorted that they will continue to use the VAR in the coming new season.
It was agreed by the clubs that the VAR has really helped the League in getting accurate results but they can improve on some things so that it should benefit the game as well as the supporters of different teams.
Wolves is the only Premier League club that voted for the VAR to be scrapped off but since the majority voted to keep using it, the VAR will still be used next season.
A very thorough and consultative discussion was held at the Annual General meeting and an agreement was reached that PGMOL, the Premier League and the clubs should all have very integral roles to play in making sure that the systems are improved and also the reputation is maintained at per.
This therefore led to led to six key points that will be put into considerations:
- Maintaining a very high threshold for the VAR intervention so as to deliver greater consistency in the results and also reduce the interruptions that sometimes interfere with the good flow of the game.
- Reducing delays in the game through the introduction of semi-automated offside technology.3.
- Improving an experience of the fans through the reduction of delays and an enhanced offering of big screen replays to include all the interventions made by the VAR.4.
- Working closely with PGMOL on the implementation of a more thorough VAR training with the aim of improving consistency and accuracy.5.
- Increasing transparency and communication around the VAR.
- The delivery of a fan and stakeholder VAR Communication campaign with the aim of further explaining the role of VAR in the game to participants and supporters.
The Semi-Automated Offside Technology will help to put the virtual offside line in a quicker and consistent manner and it will be based on the tracking of the player. This will help to reduce the time that was being used to draw the offside lines and in some cases the omission of the drawing even in tight margins.
