UEFA launches Clear Line platform to sharpen and standardise VAR use | OneFootball

UEFA launched Clear Line on Monday, a public platform to standardise refereeing across European competitions and improve VAR use. It offers clear guidance for consistent application of the Laws of the Game, stressing that VAR is only for clear and obvious errors.

Open to all, the site is split into five themes, penalties, red cards, attacking phase, factual decisions and mistaken identity. Each starts with an overview, then sub-topics with examples and videos from the three European club competitions.

Within penalties, separate modules cover handball, holding or pushes, trips, studs, who played the ball, goalkeepers and simulation. Each sets the referee’s criteria, then when VAR should or should not advise a change, illustrated by captioned clips.

A current Ligue 1 referee says the content targets the wider game, creating a visual library to explain interventions and non-interventions, and describes the transparency and openness as a positive step.

There are 150 situations in total, intended to shed light on complex or contentious calls. Clear Line will evolve over time, with updates as new cases emerge or clarifications are required.

Former international referee Saïd Ennjimi welcomes the idea and expects the library to grow into thousands. He argues real consistency needs the VAR to access these cases live via AI, with stronger training and national federations feeding the platform to reduce disparities between leagues and Europe.

In the very long term, he imagines a global roll-out if FIFA’s current crisis abates and its staff perhaps changes.

Source: L'Équipe

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