The FIFA has introduced new technology in the ongoing World Cup to lessen the margin of errors. The idea is to ensure that contentious decisions are dealt with on the basis of facts and not perception.
In case of off-side rulings, the artificial intelligence tools that are being used are getting it mostly right -a case in point being Brazil’s disallowed goal by Vinicius Junior against Switzerland -when the cameras rightly caught Richarlison in an off-side position when the first ball was played. But when it is coming to awarding penalties, often it is perception that is taking over and there have been decisions which make one feel the men in charge of VAR are bullying the on-field referee to take certain calls.
TOI takes a look at some of the decisions which have stoked debate:
PORTUGAL AWARDED SPOT-KICK IN MATCH AGAINST URUGUAY:
It was in the 89th minute and Uruguay were desperately searching for an equalizer. Portugal, on the counter, were trying to wriggle into the Uruguay box when the ball hit the hand of Uruguay defender Jose Gimenez as he was trying to break his fall to the ground. Gimenez was not making his body bigger and as per the law, penalty is not given when a player falls to the ground and the ball inadvertently hits his hand. But the VAR room officials asked the referee Alireza Faghani to have a second look and the Iranian changed his mind to award the penalty which was converted by Bruno Fernandez to finish the game off. Uruguay players were gutted. Pundits too came down hard on the decision. “The ref has had an absolute nightmare there. . . You can’t give a penalty for that,” former England winger Joe Cole said.
RONALDO’S SLICE OF LUCK IN GHANA GAME:
The match was goalless till then and Portugal were unable to make much headway. But as Ronaldo fell to the ground following a Mohammed Salisu challenge, the referee initially didn’t award a penalty because the contact was not strong enough. That was a judgement call by the ref but the VAR officials stopped play and insisted that US referee Ismail Elfath has a second look. The penalty was given on the basis of the slight contact and not by the impact that it
caused, allowing Ronaldo to score and set up the win. While the football world was divided over the decision, the FIFA panel said it was the “genius” and “smartness” of Ronaldo that earned him the penalty.
CANADA DENIED PENALTY AGAINST BELGIUM:
The game was still goalless after Thibaut Courtois had saved a first penalty awarded to Canada. This time Eden Hazard played a back-pass which went straight to Canada attacker Tajon Buchanan, who was in an offside position. But as per the laws, when a deliberate back-pass is played it does not matter if the opposing player is off-side or not. As Buchanan took control of the ball, Belgium defender Jan Vertonghen brought him down. But the linesman had wrongly raised his flag for offide instead of allowing the play and it meant that VAR couldn’t intervene and point out the error. Canada were denied a genuine penalty, they consequently lost the game 1-0and are now out of the World Cup.
LAUTARO MARTINEZ OFFSIDE CALL AGAINST SAUDI ARABIA:
Argentina were leading when Argentina striker Lautaro Martinez chipped the ball over Saudi Arabia goalkeeper Mohammed Alowais to make 2-0. But after a long review, the goal was chalked off for offside. Later, in a set of photographs that were released by Flashscore, VAR appeared not to look at Saudi Arabia’s fullback Yasser Alshahrani who kept Martinez onside. Messi had drifted to an offside position but he was not interfering in the play. Argentina went on to lose the match 2-1 and are now facing a sink-or-swim game against Poland to make the round of 16.
ENGLAND DENIED PENALTY, BUT IRAN GET ONE FOR SAME OFFENCE:
England defender Harry Maguire was bundled into the ground by the Iranian defence during a corner but the referee chose to ignore calls for a penalty. But deep into injury-time in the second half, England defender John Stones was adjudged to have tugged the shirt of Iran forward Mehdi Taremi with VAR team and referee adjudging it as a penalty. Iran still lost the game 6-2, but in a tight group where Goal Difference matters, it is to be seen whether the decision plays any role in qualification for last 16.
In case of off-side rulings, the artificial intelligence tools that are being used are getting it mostly right -a case in point being Brazil’s disallowed goal by Vinicius Junior against Switzerland -when the cameras rightly caught Richarlison in an off-side position when the first ball was played. But when it is coming to awarding penalties, often it is perception that is taking over and there have been decisions which make one feel the men in charge of VAR are bullying the on-field referee to take certain calls.
TOI takes a look at some of the decisions which have stoked debate:
PORTUGAL AWARDED SPOT-KICK IN MATCH AGAINST URUGUAY:
It was in the 89th minute and Uruguay were desperately searching for an equalizer. Portugal, on the counter, were trying to wriggle into the Uruguay box when the ball hit the hand of Uruguay defender Jose Gimenez as he was trying to break his fall to the ground. Gimenez was not making his body bigger and as per the law, penalty is not given when a player falls to the ground and the ball inadvertently hits his hand. But the VAR room officials asked the referee Alireza Faghani to have a second look and the Iranian changed his mind to award the penalty which was converted by Bruno Fernandez to finish the game off. Uruguay players were gutted. Pundits too came down hard on the decision. “The ref has had an absolute nightmare there. . . You can’t give a penalty for that,” former England winger Joe Cole said.
RONALDO’S SLICE OF LUCK IN GHANA GAME:
The match was goalless till then and Portugal were unable to make much headway. But as Ronaldo fell to the ground following a Mohammed Salisu challenge, the referee initially didn’t award a penalty because the contact was not strong enough. That was a judgement call by the ref but the VAR officials stopped play and insisted that US referee Ismail Elfath has a second look. The penalty was given on the basis of the slight contact and not by the impact that it
caused, allowing Ronaldo to score and set up the win. While the football world was divided over the decision, the FIFA panel said it was the “genius” and “smartness” of Ronaldo that earned him the penalty.
CANADA DENIED PENALTY AGAINST BELGIUM:
The game was still goalless after Thibaut Courtois had saved a first penalty awarded to Canada. This time Eden Hazard played a back-pass which went straight to Canada attacker Tajon Buchanan, who was in an offside position. But as per the laws, when a deliberate back-pass is played it does not matter if the opposing player is off-side or not. As Buchanan took control of the ball, Belgium defender Jan Vertonghen brought him down. But the linesman had wrongly raised his flag for offide instead of allowing the play and it meant that VAR couldn’t intervene and point out the error. Canada were denied a genuine penalty, they consequently lost the game 1-0and are now out of the World Cup.
LAUTARO MARTINEZ OFFSIDE CALL AGAINST SAUDI ARABIA:
Argentina were leading when Argentina striker Lautaro Martinez chipped the ball over Saudi Arabia goalkeeper Mohammed Alowais to make 2-0. But after a long review, the goal was chalked off for offside. Later, in a set of photographs that were released by Flashscore, VAR appeared not to look at Saudi Arabia’s fullback Yasser Alshahrani who kept Martinez onside. Messi had drifted to an offside position but he was not interfering in the play. Argentina went on to lose the match 2-1 and are now facing a sink-or-swim game against Poland to make the round of 16.
ENGLAND DENIED PENALTY, BUT IRAN GET ONE FOR SAME OFFENCE:
England defender Harry Maguire was bundled into the ground by the Iranian defence during a corner but the referee chose to ignore calls for a penalty. But deep into injury-time in the second half, England defender John Stones was adjudged to have tugged the shirt of Iran forward Mehdi Taremi with VAR team and referee adjudging it as a penalty. Iran still lost the game 6-2, but in a tight group where Goal Difference matters, it is to be seen whether the decision plays any role in qualification for last 16.
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