Goodbye to delays: AFA changes VAR protocol to speed up play | OneFootball

Despite the arrival of technology in local football, refereeing controversies have shown no sign of easing in AFA tournaments. Far from clearing up doubts, the constant reviews have deepened fans’ mistrust and, even worse for the spectacle, have severely hurt effective playing time.

With the aim of putting an end to the endless waits in front of the screen over minor actions, the refereeing authorities have decided to implement a paradigm shift starting from Matchday 13.

Goodbye to the “search for details”

The new directive for VAR is clear: focus on specific and obvious plays. The idea is to eliminate the concept of “looking for the tiniest detail” and instead rely on direct footage that allows for a quick decision. The goal is for matches to regain their flow and for referees to adopt a more decisive interpretive role (a clear-cut “yes or no”) when in doubt.

Greater autonomy for on-field referees

The restructuring, authorized by Federico Beligoy (National Director of Refereeing) and Fernando Rapallini (Technical Manager), grants new authority to the head referees:

With this measure, the AFA is trying to modernize the use of this technological tool, prioritizing that the game not be distorted by stoppages lasting several minutes that affect both the players and the spectators.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.