“Many people think that VAR can kill football. What do you think?" we asked Roberto Rosetti before the World Cup. The Italian immediately cut down: "Football can be killed by wrong decisions in the last minutes, not modern technology."
Behind the group stage, and wrong refereeing decisions really became less. VAR got off to a good start and avoided some fake penalties, and guys like Neymar got carded for not being very convincing on the grass.
But there are also reverse situations. The Egyptians disputed the Russian victory, suspecting the arbiter of not noticing the violation on Marwan Mohsen. Serbia decided to go the same way, enraged by an unassigned penalty in a match with Switzerland. Very non-obvious decisions were made in Germany's match with Sweden. Do you remember the handball in the last match of Argentina, which decided so much?
Milosevic: Apparently VAR only works for select teams
About decision making
This will come as a surprise to many, but the VAR room is not in the stadium. There are two such rooms at the World Championships, and both of them are located in the International Broadcasting Center in Moscow. Each of them has a whole group of video assistants: even among them there is a chief and his assistants.
Do you know where and how video referees will work at the World Championships? We will show
An international broadcasting center for the 2018 World Cup has opened in Moscow.
To help them in the stadiums, the number of cameras was significantly increased to eliminate the possibility of dead zones. Assistants present the best shots of the episode to the chief judge, which he can watch in any section and at any speed (even in slow-mo).
Now about decision making. It was originally planned that VAR would be used in four cases:
1) determination of a penalty;
2) possible removal of a football player;
3) determination of a goal;
4) player identification.
When can judges watch the replay?
There are only two options here.
1. The video assistants communicate at the points indicated above in order to prompt the referee with the correct decision.
2. The chief referee himself turns to the assistants if he has doubts about the episode.
In this case, the judge can both rely on the opinion of the assistant at the screens, and independently watch the episode at the edge. He decides on this himself.
The option was discussed in which the teams would also be able to take a certain number of repetitions per match, but so far it has been pushed back. Therefore, if a player frantically flies at the judge, demanding to watch a replay, most likely, everything will end not with a replay, but with a yellow card. However, if the referee has doubts, the behavior of the players can be used as a psychological technique. The main thing is not to overdo it with claims.
Now to practice
On paper, everything is very beautiful, but in reality, many clutched their heads, indignant at the absurdity of some decisions at the World Cup games. The judges really missed a few moments, the repetition of which was worth watching.
According to the "Championship", a few days ago (probably after the match Germany - Sweden) around the system of video replays in FIFA began a serious storm. It seems that then was the peak of human indignation about VAR.
We had a meeting with the referee of the World Cup, at which they made it clear: you need to watch replays more often. You see the result yourself. We only recall that in the match between Portugal and Iran, the referee ran to the screen several times per half.
Referees work in a similar vein in Germany, where VAR operates at Bundesliga games. It is explainable. It's not so much the fact that the referee didn't call a foul that pisses people off, but his unwillingness to watch a controversial moment. By reviewing the replay, the arbitrator not only checks the correctness decision, but also reassures the audience, confident in his wrong.
You don’t have to worry about the lost minutes, as they simply go into extra time. It is logical to expect a trend towards an increase in the time of matches. According to the new rules, judges will certainly add an average of 2-3 minutes more than before.
So why do the judges still mess up?
Well, firstly, after that very meeting, there were no obvious refereeing mistakes at the World Championships. There were controversial moments, but they will not go anywhere.
The fact is that some points are controversial by nature. Have you noticed that sometimes a decision cannot be made even after watching the replay five times? So the judge in this case tries to make the most likely decision in a matter of seconds of the match.
Another question is that at the start of the tournament, the judges did not watch replays as often as it was required. But, as we can see, FIFA is already working on this issue.
The best option seems to be to give the teams several timeouts per match to watch replays. Yes, it will slow down the game even more. But the teams, having received the right to vote, will feel involved in the process and will no longer consider themselves “oppressed by high-tech”.
Viewers, by the way, already now do not suffer much while watching replays. These few minutes become an occasion to once again review the controversial episode and arrange a heated discussion. There is also a way out of the situation at the stadiums. It is enough just to display the replay on the general scoreboard, and none of the spectators will feel superfluous.
We live!
In any case, one global conclusion on history with VAR will have to be accepted. The main decision maker is still the judge. The reason "didn't notice" is now gone, which means that the human factor is no longer an obstacle to stable high-level refereeing. And if the judge does not put a penalty after hitting the hand, as in the case of Chakyr, then obviously not because he did not see the moment.
There is another important detail. Often the viewer simply does not know the interpretation of the football rules. But there is a solution here too. For example, bringing the main referee to the press conference. A competent opinion is enough to close all disputes, and the viewer will eventually begin to better understand the judges' decisions. Can you imagine the excitement around the referees' press conference after a very controversial match? Football will only benefit from this.
After several years of testing in various tournaments, the video assistant referee (VAR) system was approved by the international football leadership for use in the 2018 World Cup. Hawk-Eye (owned by Sony) became the FIFA supplier, whose video services have long been operating in volleyball, tennis and other sports. In Russia, the VAR system was installed only at the Krasnodar stadium - on the initiative and at the expense of the owner, Sergei Galitsky. And while it is not clear whether the equipment will remain in the arenas of the World Cup after its completion. Forbes explains how the video replay system works and how much it costs.
What is the Video Assistance System for Arbitrators?(var)
Each World Cup match is served by a video team of eight people: a video assistant referee, three assistant referees and four replay operators. There are two monitors in front of the video assistant: on the top one there is a broadcast from the main camera, and on the bottom one, divided into four segments, you can view the desired episode in detail. The first assistant monitors the picture from the main camera, informing the video referee about what is happening on the field, if he is busy analyzing the episode. The second assistant is responsible for the offside cameras. The third monitors the broadcast and helps the video assistant in evaluating controversial situations.
FIFA has appointed 13 referees from 9 countries as video assistants for the 2018 World Cup. The appointment took into account the experience of working with the VAR system in national leagues and national team matches, so there are no Russians among them. But the team from Russia got into the list of field referees: chief referee Sergey Karasev, as well as linesmen Tikhon Kalugin and Anton Averyanov.
Sergei Karasev, World Championship referee - 2018:
“For a year and a half, we went to a weekly training camp dedicated to testing the VAR system every month. It is important to properly build communication between the referee on the field and the video assistants so as not to lose the pace of the game. The video team can intervene only in case of obvious errors. Working as a video assistant is many times more difficult than in the field. There you rely only on yourself, but here your opinion can change the decision of another person. Responsibility is on the rise. Plus a lot of technical stuff. There are more than 30 cameras at the stadium, and you need to understand what is the best angle for a particular episode. And you can’t endlessly watch the video from different angles - you need to immediately “hit the spot”, from the most informative angles.
FIFA does not regulate the time for consideration of a controversial episode, but if everything is done correctly, it takes an average of 10 seconds. One or two repetitions are enough for a professional judge to make a decision. Ambiguous situations may require 30-40 seconds, but there are only one or two of them per match - and in this case, the delays are compensated by added time. The video team should be willing to give their opinion on the incident before the game continues. And the chief judges have already developed a rule not to immediately resume the game after controversial moments, but to give the video team 10 seconds to review the episode.”
At the World Championships, the team of video assistants is located in special rooms (there are only two of them) at the International Broadcasting Center in Moscow at the Crocus Expo, where video from all 12 arenas is received via fiber optic communication almost instantly (with a delay of 0.3 seconds). The video team receives a picture from 33 cameras of the broadcaster in the stadium and has exclusive access to two additional cameras, fixing offside. During the playoffs, two more cameras (with ultra slow motion capability) will be added behind the goal.
When is VAR used?
The video assistant team checks all episodes during the match, but can interfere with the decision-making process of the chief referee only in four situations: goals and penalties (as well as related violations, direct red cards and incorrect identification of a football player when issuing a penalty.
An important point: the video team does not make decisions, the last word always remains with the referee in the field.
While the episode is being discussed, the referee may postpone the resumption of the game with a special gesture - a hand is applied to the ear. If verbal dialogue is not enough to make a decision, the referee announces an official video replay by making a screen with his hands. In some cases (for example, a direct red card or a violation in the penalty area), the referee has the right to review the disputed episode himself on a monitor near the field. In the case of an official video replay, the entire process of considering the incident is broadcast on television so that the audience understands the essence of what is happening.
Video assistants communicate with each other by radio. The wireless headset of the chief arbiter in the field is connected to the same communication line: if necessary, he has the right to turn to the video assistant for a hint by pressing the button. The head of the video team (or his first assistant, if the main one is busy watching the episode) can also initiate a dialogue with the referee, but only in case of a serious mistake that can affect the course of the game.
How much does VAR cost?
In autumn 2017, Krasnodar spent £175,000 to install a VAR system at their stadium. Although in the spring of 2017, Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Mutko stated that the cost of VAR equipment for one arena is $1.2 million, and maintenance will cost $100,000 per year.
Konstantin Shcherbatyuk, Head of IT Department of FC Krasnodar:
“We had offers from several companies, including Russian ones, but we chose Hawk-Eye because it has the most great experience in the field of video recording. The package includes three servers, where the video signal from the cameras installed at the stadium is automatically recorded. Plus equipment for converting video to digital, two computers, seven monitors and special software. Software Hawk-Eye allows you to see any episode of the match in a variety of angles, in different modes slow down and zoom in, as well as display lines on the screen for exact definition offside. In addition, we have a roll-out terminal with a monitor - in case the judge in the field wants to personally watch the replay of the controversial episode. Our system fully complies with FIFA standards - the same ones are used in the World Cup. And we use VAR at every home match, but so far in test mode, that is, without communication with the chief referee.”
How does it workVAR
Konstantin Shcherbatyuk: “The VAR system is very resource-intensive: you need to take the video signal, convert it to UHD, display it in a certain scheme on monitors, etc. At the same time, it requires constant synchronization. Before each match, the system needs to be adjusted taking into account the characteristics of TV cameras, as well as calibration to determine offsides - building a special computer model of the field. Usually VAR debugging takes place a day before the game and takes several hours.”
“One and a half hours before the match, the operator and the video assistant agree on the image from which cameras is displayed on the monitors. Typically, this takes 15-20 minutes. On the top screen overall plan from the main camera. At the bottom, the picture is divided into four segments: when the game takes place on the left half of the field, these are one cameras, when on the right - others. You can switch to the desired configuration with one button. During the match, the entire video team is extremely focused, working in almost complete silence and without light in order to better see the image on the monitors.
Football will never be the same again. Another innovation in the rules of the game - video replays, according to many fans and experts, can make the game boring. At one time, ex-FIFA head Joao Havelange, arguing about what awaits the "game number one", said that the less the rules change, the better. "Football is first and foremost a spectacle and an integral part of this are referee errors, controversial goals, non-obvious offsides. That makes football attractive." With the words of the Brazilian, I think many fans of the game will agree.
However, progress cannot be stopped and the Old Believers have to reckon with the revolutionary changes that come to football in last years. On the eve of the referees several times resorted to the help of video replays during the matches of the Confederations Cup. In the duel between Portugal and Mexico, Pepe sent the ball into the Mexicans' goal. The Portuguese had already begun to celebrate the success, but the chief referee Nestor Pitana showed the image of the TV with his hands and contacted the video assistants. They analyzed the episode and saw that during one of the programs there was an offside position. . In the duel between Chile and Cameroon, referee Damir Skomina resorted to video replays twice. In the first case, the referee counted the goal of the Chileans, but then canceled it, since the goal was recorded erroneously. At the end of the match, Skomina, on the contrary, canceled the goal of the South Americans, but the replay showed that the Chileans scored the ball according to the rules.
In the match Chile - Cameroon, referee Damir Skomina twice resorted to video replays. A photo: Mikhail Sinitsyn
FIFA votes for progress
Interestingly, talk about the need to introduce technology to help referees began to be seriously discussed not so long ago - starting with the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
The moment can be considered historical when the ball, after being hit by Englishman Frank Lampard, completely crossed the goal line of the German national team, but the goal that would have equalized the score in the 1/8 final match was not recorded. On the same day, Carlos Tevez scored the first of the three goals of the Argentina national team from a clear offside position to the Mexicans.
“Obviously, after the experience that we had at the World Cup in South Africa, it would be foolish not to start discussing technologies related to the goal line,” said the then head of FIFA, Joseph Blatter.
Although at the same time, the Swiss complained that he was "very offended" when he saw "evidence of judicial errors" on the TV screen.
After several years of discussions, in October 2015, the MLS (professional football league, the top division of the football league system in the US and Canada) and the Brazilian Football Confederation expressed their interest in using the video replay system.
The experience was recognized as successful, and in March 2016, the International Football Association Board (IFAB), which is responsible for the rules of the game, approved a two-year transitional period - they decided to test the system at various matches not related to major football tournaments and major leagues. The first official tournament where replays are used was the Confederations Cup in Russia. The President of the International Football Federation, Gianni Infantino, is sure that no one will pay attention to the system at the 2018 World Cup in Russia in a year:
We live in a time when various technologies that previously seemed like something fantastic come into our lives and stay with us. It only takes a couple of seconds to avoid scandals. This is good for football. We are witnessing history.
How it works?
The system, called Video Assistant Referees, consists of a monitor with a special computer program that allows you to track all the actions of the players on the field during the broadcast. Assistant referees can be in a special room in the stadium and even outside the arena. Their task is to instantly analyze the episode, after which they communicate their verdict over the link. At the moment when the chief arbiter of the match wants to take advantage of the replay, he shows with his hands a gesture depicting a TV.
By the way, the cost of the video replay system for one stadium is one million two hundred thousand dollars. In addition, the maintenance of equipment will cost another hundred thousand dollars for each year of operation.
AT recent times football has a lot of technology. Messages about the verdict of the electronics come to the arbitrator on a special device. A photo: Reuters
Russia will wait
And when will the VAR system appear at the matches of the Russian Football Premier League? Apparently, not as soon as lovers of progress want. Andrey Butenko, chairman of the RFU Referee Committee, told journalists of news agencies that today not all arenas in our country are ready for innovation:
The equipment required for the new technology is currently only available at four arenas that host matches of the Confederations Cup. And we have 16 stadiums in the Premier League. In my opinion, it is unfair if VAR works somewhere, but not somewhere. Here we need the will and desire of the clubs, because the financial component is serious. After all, it is necessary not only to install VAR, but also to find people to maintain it, as well as video arbitrators who can guarantee objective decisions. We won't see VAR in the next Premier League season. Probably, everything will change after the 2018 World Cup, where this system will work.
How about in other sports?
Volleyball
The system of video viewing of game situations ("challenge") has been actively used in international competitions since 2012. Now it is possible to clearly fix the ball hitting the court or out, the player touching the net, the ball touching the antenna and the hands of the blockers, a violation in the form of a player crossing the middle line. The request for video review of the situation is made by the head coach of the team, the limit is set at two erroneous requests per set. If the mentor disputes the referee's decision and is always right, then the number of such requests can be unlimited.
Tennis
The Hawk-Eye system ("Hawk's eye"), where the software and hardware complex simulates the trajectory of a game projectile, has been used in high-ranking tournaments since 2006. In each set, a player has the right to three attempts to call the system if he doubts the decision of the linesmen as to whether the ball hit the court or not. Due to the high cost of this system, it is generally not used at low-level tournaments. And in the Grand Slam competitions, the Hawkeye is installed only on the center courts.
The system works like this: from six to ten video cameras track the flight of the ball, then the computer models the trajectory of its flight and determines whether there was an out or not. The episode graphics image is displayed on a large screen so that players and viewers can see it.
Modern tennis can no longer be imagined without the Hawkeye system. Otherwise, disputes between players and judges can be endless. A photo: AP
Cricket
With the help of an analogue of the "Hawk's eye" officially approved by the International Cricket Council (ICC) Decision Review System, referees determine the possible trajectory of the ball when it is beaten off in violation of the rules after being served not with a bat, but with a foot. The system calculates the trajectory and determines whether the game projectile would have knocked down the "wicket" (a kind of cricket goal that the batter protects), if the ball had not hit the leg, or not. The system was first tested in 2001, in 2009 the regulations for its use were included in the official rules of the sport. However, this technology still has enough criticism.
Hockey
A video review is appointed by the chief referee (plus in the NHL at the request of the head coach of one of the rival teams, but provided that he has an unused time-out) in cases where there is doubt about the correctness of a goal. If, for example, the referee did not first see the offside position preceding the scored puck, and the video review recorded the violation, then the time played is returned. Similarly, with those cases when the referees did not see the correct goal, and after the game pause, a video review was made, which showed that the puck still crossed the goal.
Rugby
For more than a decade and a half at matches top level a television inspector (video referee) is working. In contentious issues, using video replays, he advises the chief judge by radio. Most often, there are episodes related to the doubt of the arbitrator regarding the capture of the "city" of the opponent, when the players are completely invisible in the crowd - has the rugby "melon" crossed the front line?
In March 2018, the International Football Federation (FIFA) approved the use of video assistant referee (VAR) systems at the championship in Russia. For the past two years, this system has been used in 20 different tournaments around the world - including the Confederations Cup, held in Russia in the summer of 2017. At the World Championships VAR will work for the first time.
How VAR works:
Three video assistants follow the match with the help of cameras that transmit the image to the monitors of the central computer. They can double-check an episode they find controversial. If they come to the conclusion that the ball did not cross the goal line and there was no goal, they report this to the referee. The main referee of the match can listen to the assistants or independently view the video replay of the episode on a special device similar to a tablet. To do this, the referee must approach the edge of the field at the center line.
Various systems are used to record a goal. Three have received FIFA approval: the British Hawk Eye (“Hawk Eye”), as well as the German GoalControl-4D and GoalRef. What is the difference:
- hawk eye: on the roof of the stadium, around the perimeter, from 7 to 14 high-speed cameras are installed. The cameras transmit the image to the central computer, to the playing field model. The system simulates the trajectory of the ball - for this it is necessary that at least two cameras have time to capture the movement of the ball. If the ball crossed the line, the chief referee receives a signal on his watch - a goal.
- GoalControl-4D: 14 high-speed cameras are also placed at the goal, which track the movement of the ball and, if necessary, send a signal to wrist watch arbiter.
- GoalRef uses not cameras, but electromagnetic induction. Special sensors are attached to the bars and the crossbar of the football goal, which create a magnetic field. When the ball completely crosses the goal line and goes out of this field, the chip inside it starts to squeak. At this second, the chief referee receives a signal on his watch - a goal.
Video replays are also used to watch other controversial episodes: for example, to decide on a penalty kick or which player to punish for breaking the rules.
VAR has already been used during the Confederations Cup in four of the 12 stadiums that will host matches of the 2018 World Cup. These are the Fisht stadium in Sochi, Otkritie Arena in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Kazan Arena. FIFA was involved in the installation of the equipment, and it will also do it in the remaining stadiums. After the championship, the system will be dismantled and taken away.
2 . Vanishing Spray
The spray is needed to indicate the line at which the players must stand when building into the “wall” for a free kick. The first spray called Spoony was invented by the Brazilian inventor Heine Allemagnier in 2000. Two years later, he received a patent for it, after which Spoony was used in many international football competitions. In 2014, the latest commercial version of the spray - "9-15" was used at the World Cup in Brazil. Since 2015, the use of the spray by referees during the match has been recommended by the Russian Football Premier League.
How it works:
The referee squeezes the spray from the can onto the lawn. With it, he marks the point from which the free kick will be taken, as well as the line beyond which the players standing in the wall cannot go. After a few minutes, the spray disappears. If a player goes out of line, he may receive a yellow card. This allows referees to enforce the rules more strictly.
Allemagnier accused FIFA of stealing the spray at the World Cup in Brazil in 2017, a dispute that continues to this day. Other companies are now also producing the spray (which manufacturer's spray will be used in Russia is not yet known). In Russia, the first version of the TEN+1 spray by the joint startup of the nanocenters Technospark (Troitsk) and Dubna of the Fund for Infrastructure and Educational Programs of the RUSNANO Group was presented for testing in 2016.
As Rusbase was told in the press service of Rosnano, the developers of TEN + 1, the Sportek company, then finalized their product. In particular, they made the balloon fastening more durable so that it does not interfere with the referee if he needs, for example, to run from one end of the field to the other during the match. In addition, "Sportek" had to "solve the problem of different behavior of the spray in cold and hot weather." As a result, a line of different foam compositions for low and high temperatures air, as well as for natural and artificial surfaces football field.
TEN+1 was tested again in 2017 at the international football tournament Kaluga Junior Cup, matches of the Russian Football Championship, Troitsk Open Championship and other one-off events in the Moscow region. Now the company "Sportek" accepts orders for the supply of spray in July.
3. "Smart ball" from Adidas
New types of soccer balls are being developed for every major tournament. In November 2017, Adidas introduced the official ball of the 2018 World Cup in Russia. It was named the Adidas Telstar. Its design is reminiscent of the first model of this ball, the 1970 Telstar. The new ball, however, has become much more technologically advanced thanks to an NFC chip glued into one of the tire panels.
NFC (Near Field Communication) is a technology wireless transmission data between two devices that are close to each other. Supported by the majority Android smartphones and iPhone, starting with the seventh model. Android owners can tap their smartphone on the chip and they will be taken to a page with a description of the ball and adidas football news. On an iPhone, you can read the NFC chip using one of the special applications, which can be downloaded for free from the App Store.
4.
Driverless buses
Fans in Moscow at the 2018 championship will be transported by unmanned buses - this was announced in June 2017 by Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Arkady Dvorkovich. Two companies produce such buses in Russia: the Volgabus group of companies together with BMG (Bakulin Motors Group) and PJSC Kamaz together with the NAMI Research Center. The Volgabus bus is called Matreshka, the Kamaz bus is called the Shuttle.
How Matryoshka will work:
Volgabus has developed three different models - small buses for 4-6 people, medium ones for 8-12, and large ones for 20 passengers. In fact, they can be lined up like real nesting dolls. They will install eight high-frequency cameras that will track poles, pits, pedestrians and other obstacles on the road. "Matryoshka" will not go very fast: at a speed of 15-20 km / h, in this case the bus will be able to slow down if necessary. With a full battery charge, it will be able to travel 130 km with a top speed of 30 km/h.
How the shuttle will work:
The Kamaz bus accommodates 12 people, there are only six seats. The doors of the Shuttle can be opened from both sides, information displays are installed in the cabin. In closed areas, the bus will travel at a speed of 25 km/h, its maximum speed is 40 km/h.
It will be possible to call the "Shuttle" using a special mobile application installed on a smartphone or tablet. The bus can independently carry passengers, having received data on the destination and the desired stops. When the battery is fully charged, it will be able to travel up to 200 kilometers, it will be recharged at special stops.
5 . 3D scanners for fans
The Portal 3D scanner was presented by the CROC Virtual Reality Center in early April at the International Conference on Marketing of Sports Federations, Leagues, Clubs, Tournaments and Sports Facilities MarSpo-2018.
Leonid Kaloshin, project manager for the implementation of VAR in Russia, spoke about the intricacies of launching video replays at RPL matches. What is the reason for the hitch with the use of the system in Russia and when it will fully work - in the RBC material
On May 12, the President of the Russian Premier League (RPL), Sergey Pryadkin, said that many league clubs were in favor of introducing the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) System from the first round of the 2019/2020 championship. By the beginning of the championship - July 9 - he also said that they had been given the task of launching the system from the first round. In the first round, the technology was not fully applied.
On July 16, RFU President Alexander Dyukov announced that VAR in "combat" conditions will begin to be used in the second round of the RPL. Later it became known that this match would be Dynamo - Rubin (0:1).
What is VAR and what are the functions
This is a technology that allows the match referee to make decisions based on video replays. The technology does not check game moments, but analyzes and checks the decision of the referee in the following cases:
Scenes with penalties
- goals and game episodes preceding them in the attack phase,
- direct red cards,
- incorrect identification of the player in respect of which the referee of the match decides on the sanction.
Why VAR is not used in Russia for all matches
The main problem that the Russian Premier League had with the introduction of VAR was related to the choice of a contractor. Initially, it was assumed that Rostelecom and Match TV would apply for this role. In early June, the general meeting of RPL clubs decided to choose Rostelecom as a technical contractor.
The company itself said that Rostelecom made the best offer in terms of functionality and cost of the project - less than 600 million rubles. for three seasons. However, no contract was signed.
As a result, the RFU took over all the concerns for the implementation of VAR, which does not disclose the commercial side of the issue.
What is a VAR center
Now, for the full functioning of the system, it is necessary to build the so-called VAR center - a centralized platform where video assistants will work, Leonid Kaloshin, head of the VAR implementation project at the RFU, told reporters on July 22. Now the first stage of its construction has been launched, and full-fledged construction will begin in August. The center will be located in Moscow. It is expected that it will fully work after the winter break in the championship in 2020. The VAR center will be located in Moscow. Its area and exact address are not known yet.
How does VAR work in Russia now?
While there is no centralized VAR center, the RFU uses mobile points. These are specially equipped minibuses that are located on the territory of the stadiums.
The RFU plans to use VAR in each round for one match. From autumn it is planned to increase this number of matches to three. Before the center opens, the RFU plans to negotiate with UEFA to use the VAR van for European competition matches, Kaloshin said.
How was the first match with VAR in the RPL
The game of the second round of the RPL between Dynamo and Rubin (0:1) in Moscow was the first in the history of the league where the VAR system was fully applied. Prior to this, the system was used in nine matches (five cup and four butt).
In the RFU, they were satisfied with how the match between Dynamo and Rubin in Moscow went from a technical point of view. Vasily Kazartsev worked as a video referee (VAR), and Mikhail Vilkov was his assistant (AVAR). The referee of the meeting Vitaly Meshkov never turned to the video preview during the match. The lack of video views in the RFU called positive moment, since the referee made absolutely correct decisions without consulting the VAR, but at the same time, communication with the video referees was constant.
How is the training of VAR-judges
In total, the main referee, two assistants and a reserve referee operate on the field. With the introduction of the system, the refereeing team will also include the so-called VAR and AVAR (video referee and his assistant).
To officiate matches as a VAR or AVAR video referee, you must have the appropriate license. To do this, it is required to have a licensed qualification of a judge of various levels. After that, the referee must undergo training on VAR and AVAR, which is provided by the RFU free of charge.
Now in Russia only nine judges have the necessary license. Five of them have a video assistant license (VAR), four have a video referee assistant (AVAR) license. It takes four to six months to prepare a referee for VAR and AVAR work. How many judges are required for full-fledged work VAR in Russia, Kaloshin did not say, but clarified that the goal of the RFU is to train all arbitrators to work with the video replay system.
In the winter of 2020, all judges of the Russian Premier League will be licensed by the International Football Association Board (IFAB), Kaloshin said. Thus, they will be able to work on matches with VAR.
The fee for VAR judges has not yet been approved. It is known that the chief referee of the RPL match, in addition to the mandatory salary of 30 thousand rubles. per month receives a fee for the game - 115 thousand rubles.
