IFAB Makes VAR Optional For Leagues In Europe

The International Football Association Board (IFAB) has made temporary amendments to the laws of the game, as football plans to make a return amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The English Premier League has been given the option to scrap the use of Video Assistant Referees (VAR), the UK Mirror reports.

With players set to play a high number games within a short period, teams will now be allowed to make five substitutions during games, to reduce the risk of fatigue and injury.

Every league in Europe can choose to adopt these new laws or keep the current rules in place.

The IFAB has also allowed leagues to temporarily stop using VAR, even if they started with the season with the technology.

The use of VAR in the Premier League came under constant backlash before coronavirus halted the season.

Anaedoonline.com reported that The Premier League will not change the way Video Assistant Referee (VAR) works for tight offside calls for the rest of this season, according to Daily Mail.

VAR has proved controversial with fans during its first season in England, because of marginal offside decisions.

There has been as much as five close ‘armpit’ calls during the most recent weekend of action.

It will be recalled that the International Football Association Board (IFAB), which makes the game’s laws, stated that VAR should only overturn blatant errors.

However, the Premier League have no plans to alter the way VAR makes offside decisions. The league feels changing the rules halfway through a season would “affect the integrity of the competition”.

Football’s law-making body has addressed a number of the controversial aspects of officiating the game, such as the use of the video assistant referee (VAR) and handball and penalty kick decisions.

Referees are likely to spend much more time looking at pitch-side monitors next season as a result.
Before now, officials in England depend on VAR officials to make decisions.