LONDON.- The clubs of the Premier League voted this Thursday in favor of continuing to use video arbitration (VAR) next season, the English championship announced in a statement.
Although the text does not report on what each club voted during the annual meeting of the Premier League, the British network BBC reported that 19 of the 20 teams would have voted in favor of maintaining the technology.
According to the BBC, only Wolverhampton, at the origin of this measure to withdraw the VAR, would have voted in favor of abolishing it.
The 'Wolves' accuse the VAR of having “devalued the Premier League brand” after a season of controversial decisions. VAR was introduced in the Premier League in 2019, with the aim of helping referees avoid clear errors, which have altered matches in the past.
But throughout the recently concluded 2023-2024 season, the VAR was at the center of controversy on several occasions, being criticized by coaches and fans.
Not everything is perfect:
Despite the result of the vote, the Premier League says it is aware of the need for an improvement in the system, with a view to improving the game as much as possible.
“While VAR helps make tighter decisions, it was agreed that improvements must be made for the benefit of the game and the fans,” the championship says in the statement.
Semi-automatic offside detection technology will come into force next season, with the hope that it will help reduce long waits to check offsides. Additionally, announcements will be made when a decision made from the field is modified following VAR intervention, to keep fans informed.
The Premier League also added that the “high threshold” for intervention will also remain.
