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SPORT VAR hasn’t set the rules, it’s there to assist ‘the beautiful game’

Dr Colm Hickey aspects of our lives. After all, who wants to live in a dishonest and On any weekend you can see children unfair world, and to those who say playing football in the park. It’s a that this is just what the world is, wonderful sight. If you look closer surely we should try to fight against you will see that there is normally it and make it better? This is where no laid out pitch and often no goals our values come in and they must just a couple of jackets marking the be reinforced in the Church, at school place where a post should be. There and in the home. are no assistant referees because However, as the stakes in sport there is no referee. There is no off- get higher and the rewards greater, side. There is a consensus about if games need neutral supervision – Champions League. The hosts a shot is too high or if it went over hence the referee, assistant referee, thought that they were through as the jacket. Despite everything, the fourth official and now virtual as- Raheem Sterling scored with seconds children have an inherent sense of sistant referee (VAR). It is meant to remaining, but joy turned to despair fairness. The game is played and be a black and white, yes or no in- with VAR ruling that Sergio Aguero policed by the participants. formation system. It is an extra tool was offside when Bernardo Silva Yet as football becomes more for- for the referee so that the correct diverted the ball into Sterling’s path. malised, the innocence of childhood decision is made. After all, that is Pep Guardiola, the Manchester is stripped away and the game be- only fair, and fairness should be at City manager showed dignity and comes more serious. Some children the heart of everything we do. class when he said: “We have to ac- love it and some drift away because One would think that this initiative cept it. It’s tough because we scored they feel it is too competitive or be- would be welcomed by the football a goal late on. But ask VAR people, cause they feel (or are told) that world, but it is not. On 17th August, not me.” Meanwhile the Spurs man- they are not good enough. Think Manchester City were celebrating ager, Mauricio Pochettino, said: “I about that for a moment. Telling after Gabriel Jesus scored in injury was a little bit critical of VAR but someone that they are not good time, but the goal was ruled out be- now we have to accept the rules. enough can have a demoralising im- cause the ball had brushed Aymeric Now it benefits us. No doubt it pact on them and can reduce their Laporte’s arm in the build-up. Rather won’t benefit us at other times. It’s mistakes of the referee, mistakes of France’s Thierry Henry uses his self-esteem. than accept it, the home fans greeted a rule we need to accept.” the player...That’s how the people hand to set up Williams Gallas’ The only justification for such a the final whistle with boos directed Elsewhere, bizarrely, Liverpool get more passionate about football.” winning goal during the FIFA statement in a football context is at VAR as the disallowed goal stirred striker, Mohamed Salah is very much The concept of something being World Cup Qualifying Play-Off against the technology and believes ‘too fair’ is an odd one. Something against the Republic of Ireland at that, although such a statement might memories of the club’s Champions the Stade de France, Paris in 2009. be harsh, at least it is fair: the eleven League exit. it’s made football “too fair”. When is either fair or unfair. That’s what selected are all better than you. So, In April, City needed a goal in asked by a reporter: ‘What do you VAR is designed to demonstrate. It honesty and fairness should lie at their second leg encounter with think of VAR?’ he replied: “I don’t is not meant to be interpretative. because they are human. Accord- the heart of sport, and indeed in all Spurs to reach the semi-final of the like it... I accept football with the Referees will always make mistakes ingly, players, managers and spec- tators should accept the decision of VAR decides Manchester the referee without dissent. Even City’s Gabriel Jesus’ (not without VAR the referee has help pictured) sides third goal through the assistant referees who of the game is disallowed. flag for offences that the referee PA PHOTO/RICHARD SELLERS/EMPICS SPORT may not have seen and while they, or the referee, might be mistaken, the decision is accepted. Yet VAR is designed to remove argument. Although Salah might like football ‘with the mistakes’ I wonder how much he would like it if a contentious incident like the Thierry Henry hand- ball in France’s World Cup Play- Off against Ireland before the 2010 World Cup went against his team? The loudest voices against VAR are from teams who have had goals cor- rectly ruled out. There have been no examples of a team saying that a VAR decision that went in its favour was ‘wrong’ and the offside goal, penalty area dive or handball should stand. At the end of it all VAR is about getting things right. It’s about justice really, for even though it is ‘only a game’ it is a game where the stakes can be high, where careers could be made or broken because of a single errant decision and no one would want that. As the bible says in Psalm 106:3 ‘Blessed are those who act justly, who always do what is right.’

n Dr Colm Hickey is the John Paul II Foundation for Sport’s director of education.

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