Video Assistant Referee (VAR), a technology system introduced to reduce controversial decisions in football by removing human judgment from refereeing, has failed to achieve its intended purpose according to commentary from three academics.
The scholars argue that the system's shortcomings stem from a fundamental misunderstanding of football's nature. Rather than being a sport governed by objective, measurable rules that technology could definitively interpret, football operates more as an art form than a science. This suggests that disputes over decisions are inherent to the sport itself, making them difficult for any technical system to fully resolve.
The commentary highlights a broader tension in modern sports: while technological solutions can assist in decision-making, they cannot eliminate the subjective interpretation required in refereeing. The academics' perspective suggests that hopes VAR would create objective certainty in football refereeing were unrealistic from the outset, as the sport's inherent complexity and artistic nature mean that disagreements over calls will persist regardless of the tools available to officials.
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