SPECIAL REPORT
TPO/TPI: an update
TPO/TPI FC Twente sanctioned
FC Twente sanctioned by the KNVB Licensing Committee in relation to Doyen-contracts
By Dennis KOOLAARD
Lawyer - De Kempenaer Advocaten
Arnhem The Netherlands
The Licensing Committee of the Dutch Football Association the KNVB has
provisionally revoked the license of FC Twente, excluded it from participation in Eu ropean football for three seasons and imposed a fine of EUR 45,250 on it for
having withheld certain details from the KNVB Licensing Committee in respect of
______contracts ______concluded with Doyen Sports. FC Twente accepted the sanctions in full. KNVB, ______Media release, 15 December 2015
Introduction thereby deliberately misled the KNVB Background Licensing Committee, which is a Upon having become aware of violation of the KNVB Licensing FC Twente is a Dutch professional FC Twente Regulations. football club, playing in the highest agreement with Doyen Sports, the division of Dutch professional football. KNVB Licensing Committee requested The reason for banning FC Twente FC Twente to provide it with the draft from European football for three In the 2009/2010 sporting season, contracts to examine whether these sporting seasons is that the KNVB FC Twente won the national were in accordance with the Licensing Committee found that championship for the first time in the regulations of the KNVB. The KNVB FC Twente participated in European history of the club. Since 2012, Licensing Committee subsequently football in the 2014/2015 season with FC Twente experienced a great ordered FC Twente to make certain a license that was granted based on financial downfall. The repayments amendments to the contracts, most the information available to the KNVB and interest on debts related to likely because the KNVB was Licensing Committee at the time, investments made in the stadium and apparently of the view that Doyen which turned out to be incorrect. the salaries of its players were too 34 Sports would acquire influence in FC Twente is now sanctioned for high in comparison with its turnover. FC Twente icy in respect having obtained unjust sporting and FC Twente was therefore on the of the players concerned. The financial advantages from this lookout for financing. 33 amended contracts were then re- participation. examined by the KNVB Licensing Doyen Sports is a Malta-based sports Committee and approved.31 FC Twente industry company and its activities professional football will be revoked, include investing in football players unless FC Twente fully cooperates 35 However, following the publication of and clubs. Doyen Sports has been in with an independent investigation the contracts on the website Football the news in relation to the discussion 32 into the structure of the club. FC Leaks in November 2015, the KNVB on the prohibition on third-party Twente appears to cooperate fully Licensing Committee started an ownership or third-party investment with such investigation. investigation and concluded that in the football industry, particularly in
FC Twente had withheld certain respect of the implementation of additions (a side-letter) to the Article 18ter in the 2015 edition of the contracts with Doyen Sports from the FIFA Regulations on the Status and KNVB Licensing Committee and Transfer of Players (FIFA RSTP), which prohibits such practices. Doyen Sports
31 release, 15 December 2015 34 www.knvb.nl/nieuws/betaald- 33 S. DE VOOGT, FC Twente krijgt straf wegens banden met voetbal/licenties/15464/licentiecommissie-bestraft-fc- release, 15 December 2015 Doyen, NRC, 15 December 2015 twente www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2015/12/15/fc-twente-krijgt-fikse- 32 www.knvb.nl/nieuws/betaald- www.footballleaks.livejournal.com/ (currently straf-wegens-banden-met-doyen voetbal/licenties/15464/licentiecommissie-bestraft-fc- 35 suspended) twente. www.doyensports.com/aboutus
82 Football Legal
SPECIAL REPORT
TPO/TPI: an update
TPO/TPI FC Twente sanctioned
has recently been involved in an such institutions are of the view that During the debate in the European arbitration procedure before the Doyen Sports interfered with Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in FC Twente and Third- relation to a dispute with the well be that disciplinary proceedings 26 January 2016, it was mentioned Portuguese football club Sporting before the disciplinary bodies of the that the contracts concluded between Lisbon, which was apparently decided KNVB and/or FIFA are to follow. FC Twente and Doyen Sports were in favour of Doyen Sports.36 Doyen allegedly comparable to the contracts Sports also publicly defended its TPI concluded between Sporting Clube de model before the Intergroup Sport of >> It may be that Portugal and Doyen Sports in relation the European Parliament in Brussels to the transfer of Marcos ROJO to 37 FC Twente is still to on 26 January 2016. Manchester United in August 2014. face sanctions in Since it appears that Doyen Sports About three and a half years after the prevailed in the arbitration first championship of the club, in respect of the proceedings before the CAS that January 2014, FC Twente announced followed, it will be interesting to see to have concluded a deal with Doyen substance of the whether the national and Sports to cope with the acute liquidity international football governing shortfall. This deal reportedly gave contracts bodies will nevertheless instigate Doyen Sports the right to certain disciplinary proceedings against percentages of future transfer fee of According to Dutch newspaper NRC, FC Twente. A distinction must seven players of FC Twente in Doyen Sports appears to have however be drawn between a exchange for a lump sum payment of acquired influence on the transfer contractual dispute, such as in the CAS EUR 5,000,000.38 policy of the club. FC Twente was proceedings involving Sporting Clube reportedly obliged to accept transfer de Portugal, and disciplinary fees above 50% of the market value of proceedings.41 The fact that Doyen Analysis the players concerned. If Doyen Sports Sports apparently, at least partially, wished to accept such offer, but FC prevailed in such dispute does not
Twente declined, FC Twente would necessarily exclude the possibility that As FC Twente has currently only been apparently have to pay Doyen Sports a disciplinary proceedings are still to be sanctioned for having failed to fee proportional to the rejected opened in respect of Sporting Clube de disclose information to the KNVB 40 offer. For a club in financial difficulty Portugal or FC Twente for a violation Licensing Committee, it may be that it would arguably be difficult, if not FC Twente is still to face sanctions in of Article 18bis of the FIFA RSTP. impossible, to reject transfer offers respect of the substance of the without the consent of Doyen Sports. contracts. The KNVB Licensing The question to be answered is Committee, the jurisdiction of which is Editors Note: On 29 March 2016, FIFA therefore whether this constitutes an announced that several clubs had been limited to applying the KNVB Licensing undue influence in FC Twente sanctioned for breach of third-party Regulations, forwarded its findings to transfer policy and hence a violation influence, third-party ownership rules. the Prosecutor Professional Football FC Twente Club 39 of Article 18bis of the FIFA RSTP. It is of the KNVB and to FIFA. As such, if FC Twente of the Netherlands was however to be noted that the sanctioned with a fine of CHF 185,000, a contracts between FC Twente and warning and a reprimand for breaching art. Doyen Sports were concluded before 18bis (2012 edition), art. 18ter par. 5 (2015 36 See CAS media release regarding CAS 2014/O/3781 & the entry into force of the 2015 FIFA edition) as well as annexe 3 of the 3782 of 24 December 2015 RSTP and therefore fall outside the Regulations. The club was found to be www.tas- liable for entering into contracts that cas.org/fileadmin/user_upload/Media_Release_24.12.15. ambit of the newly implemented pdf Article 18ter. enabled a third party to influence the club 37 in employment and transfer-related matters, failing to upload a TPO agreement www.doyensports.com/pressroom#/noticia23 38 into the library in TMS, breaching A. WARSHAW, Dutch hit Twente with Euro ban and fine confidentiality rules and failing to declare over TPO and Doyen's dirty dealing, Inside World Football, 17 December 2015 mandatory information in ITMS. www.insideworldfootball.com/world- football/europe/18540-dutch-hit-twente-with-euro-ban- and-fine-over-tpo-and-doyen-s-dirty-dealing www.knvb.nl/nieuws/betaald- 41 See also: Wie bij F - voetbal/licenties/15464/licentiecommissie-bestraft-fc- A. DUVAL / O. VAN MAREN NRC, 26 November 2015 twente. 40 www.nrc.nl/next/2015/11/26/wie-bij-fc-twente-wist-van- - NRC, 2015, last accessed 1 March 2016, side-letter-doyen-1564149. 39 26 November 2015 www.asser.nl/SportsLaw/Blog/post/unpacking-doyen-s- Licentiecommissie bestraft FC Twente, KNVB press www.nrc.nl/next/2015/11/26/wie-bij-fc-twente-wist-van- tpo-deals-sporting-lisbon-s-rebellion-in-the-rojo-case-by- release, 15 December 2015 side-letter-doyen-1564149. antoine-duval-and-oskar-van-maren.
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First match-fixing case in Dutch football
By Dennis KOOLAARD Lawyer - De Kempenaer Advocaten Arnhem the Netherlands
Royal Dutch Football Federations (KNVB) Match-fixing
The KNVB considers it proven that the match between FC Utrecht and Willem II of 9 August 2009 was manipulated, basing its verdict on email correspondence between the player Ibrahim KARGBO (right) and Wilson RAJ PERUMAL.
______
Introduction Email correspondence trying to make money out of this business. People want to win and they will do 7 On the day of a debate on match-fixing in The case principally concerns Ibrahim the Dutch Parliament, the Dutch Football KARGBO and Wilson Raj PERUMAL. Ibrahim The KNVB considers it proven that the Association - the KNVB - confirmed that KARGBO is a former Willem II player and for the first time in the history of Dutch former captain of the national team of match between FC Utrecht and Willem II of 9 August 2009 was manipulated, professional football a match was Sierra Leone. KARGBO played last for the officially considered to be fixed.1 English non-league club Thamesmead basing its verdict on email Town FC and recently registered with correspondence between KARGBO and An investigation was launched by the Wellington United FC, a fifth tier club in PERUMAL. The Integrity Unit of the KNVB received the email correspondence from Integrity Unit of the KNVB in January English football. KARGBO told the Dutch 2015 after Dutch newspaper De local newspaper Brabants Dagblad that UEFA in June 2015. In the summary of the Volkskrant published about the he never engaged in match manipulation investigation report published by the KNVB, selected parts of the email manipulation of matches of Willem II or received money.4 Wilson Raj PERUMAL 8 against Ajax and Feyenoord in October was reportedly one of the ringleaders of correspondence are made public. A and December 2009, respectively.2 The an Asian match manipulation syndicate second and third player appear to be Integrity Unit is a team of specialists in and was arrested and jailed in Finland in involved. However, the names are never the area of gambling, legislation and 2011 for manipulating football matches.5 explicitly mentioned. Before the match investigation. The Integrity Unit can He was extradited to Hungary when he between FC Utrecht and Willem II the two conduct investigations on integrity issues agreed to cooperate with prosecutors.6 set up the agreement to manipulate the match: in football at the request of the PERUMAL stated having no regrets for Prosecutor Professional Football of the manipulating matches. He travelled the world and had a good time. Illustrative in Board. The Integrity Unit concluded that this respect is maybe his statement that agreed but we have to conclusion that it had no information establishing the [f]ootball is no longer a sport. It is more game that we are to arrange should not manipulation of Willem II like a business now. So I think we're just be less than two hundred thousand, against Ajax and Feyenoord, but it did because we are three guy conclude that Willem II Email KARGBO to PERUMAL, 29 July 2009 www.knvb.nl/downloads/bestand/2148/samenvatting- FC Utrecht of 9 August 2009 was onderzoeksrapportage-integriteitseenheid---februari- manipulated.3 2016 brother. i have to be careful not to stir 4 Kargbo blijft matchfixing ontkennen, Brabants Dagblad, 15 February 2016 1 Matchfixing voor het eerst in Nederland officieel www.bd.nl/sport/kargbo-blijft-matchfixing-ontkennen- vastgesteld, KNVB press release, 15 February 2016, 1.5728482. www.knvb.nl/nieuws/themas/matchfixing/16681/matc See also: NOS, 15 February 2016 7 D. Ridell & M. Knight, Wilson Raj Perumal: The man hfixing-voor-het-eerst-nederland-officieel-vastgesteld http://nos.nl/artikel/2087107-kargbo-die-mail-is-niet- who fixed football, CNN, 26 August 2014 2 M. VAN DONGEN & W. FEENSTRA, De toneelstukjes van van-mij.html http://edition.cnn.com/2014/08/26/sport/football/mat Willem II tegen Ajax en Feyenoord, de Volkskrant, 17 5 Match-fixer Wilson Raj Perumal arrested in Finland, ch-fixing-wilson-raj-perumal-corruption/ January 2015 BBC, 24 April 2014 8 Summary of the investigation report by the Integrity www.volkskrant.nl/sport/de-toneelstukjes-van-willem- www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-27140082 Unit, KNVB website, February 2016 ii-tegen-ajax-en-feyenoord~a3831572/ 6 Killing the Ball, Al Jazeera, 19 February 2015 www.knvb.nl/downloads/bestand/2148/samenvatting- 3 Summary of the investigation report by the Integrity www.aljazeera.com/programmes/peopleandpower/20 onderzoeksrapportage-integriteitseenheid---februari- Unit, p. 2, KNVB website, February 2016 15/02/killing-ball-150218120522829.html 2016
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KARGBO is currently no longer a member English FA as KARGBO recently concluded a for each of u. But we have to get 2 or 3 of the KNVB, reason for which he is also contract with English national league more t not subject to the regulations of the (5th tier) club Wellington United FC and Email PERUMAL to KARGBO, 29 July 2009 KNVB. Since KARGBO is currently not a therefore might fall under the jurisdiction member of the KNVB, it is not possible to of the disciplinary bodies of the English After the match, PERUMAL and KARGBO start disciplinary proceedings against him FA.14 have email contact again: in the Netherlands. The Integrity Unit advised the KNVB to submit the results of Besides the disciplinary measures within the investigation to UEFA and FIFA.11 the structure of football, the KNVB has We win or lose. Handicap was 1 also reported the match manipulation to ball. So a 1-0 for Utrecht leaves us no win subsequently opened a criminal Email PERUMAL to KARGBO, 14 August 2009 Conclusions of the investigation. This criminal investigation is investigation currently on-going.15
me wining is wining 1 0 or 2 0 is still a The four main conclusions from the
investigation by the Integrity Unit are:12 Email KARGBO to PERUMAL, 15 August 2009 Analysis 1. KARGBO and PERUMAL made
agreements on manipulating the At the time, Dutch football player match between FC Utrecht and Maikel AERTS was the captain of Willem II. note that no sanction was imposed on Willem II of 9 August 2009; However, the KNVB concluded that there Willem II. It is indeed questionable 2. KARGBO and PERUMAL organised the was insufficient evidence available to whether a club can be held liable for the charity match between Willem II and establish the involvement of AERTS in the behaviour of one of its players or Sierra Leone of 14 November 2009 16 match-fixing scheme. It is unclear who officials. However, an argument could with the purpose to manipulate this the third person, as mentioned by be made that Willem II should have been match for gambling purposes; KARGBO, could be.9 sanctioned. In the well-known Pobeda 3. KARGBO and PERUMAL had contact case (CAS 2009/A/1920 FK Pobeda, about manipulating matches of the Other than the match between Aleksandar ZABRCANEC, Nikolce ZDRAVESKI v. national team of Sierra Leone; FC Utrecht and Willem II, both KARGBO and 4. The Integrity Unit has, during the PERUMAL are linked to a match organised course of the investigations, not for charity purposes at the initiative of captain was acquitted), but also the club detected indications or received KARGBO between Willem II and the itself. In such case, the CAS panel information whatsoever national team of Sierra Leone. PERUMAL determined that there was no evidence demonstrating that the matches Ajax and his company Football 4U were Willem II of 17 October 2009 and 17 involved in the organisation of the event. games for his own personal gain. Feyenoord Willem II of According to the report published by the Mr LEUBA afterwards raised the question 19 December 2009 were KNVB, PERUMAL used his company as a whether manipulated. cover to manipulate football matches. the match-fixing and his conduct had
been exclusively dictated by a strict
Although the KNVB considers that there is personal interest and not by the interests insufficient legal evidence to prove Future implications of the club, could the club have been , which he manipulation of the charity match, the answered affirmatively as follows: KNVB concludes that it is established that Since PERUMAL and KARGBO are not subject
KARGBO and PERUMAL organised the match to the regulations of the KNVB, it is not [I]t is unacceptable that a club should be for gambling purposes and that it derives possible for the KNVB to start disciplinary able to escape any sanction simply by from an email from Abu Bakarr KABBA, a proceedings against either of them. The arguing that one of its officials acted in former official of the national FA of Sierra Integrity Unit advised the KNVB to submit his own personal interest and that the Leone, that he asked PERUMAL to contact the results of the investigation to UEFA club should not, therefore, suffer the KARGBO to discuss the result of the match and FIFA. Assuming that the KNVB consequences of his actions. By beforehand: proceeded to do so, it is to be awaited imposing strong sanctions against the whether these bodies will take any KARGBO result of the further action. Although it will be difficult match and how much they stand to make to instigate disciplinary proceedings 14 this I also need to know as I will be talking against PERUMAL since he is not a member KNVB licht FA in over Kargbo, Telegraaf, 29 February 13 2016 of FIFA, it may be possible to take action www.telegraaf.nl/telesport/voetbal/willemii/25290530 Email KABBA to PERUMAL, 27 October 2009 against KARGBO. /__KNVB_licht_FA_in_over_Kargbo__.html?utm_sourc e=mail&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=email#vo Further to the parts of the emails etbal/227/fixtures/ Recently, the KNVB announced that it 15 published in the summary of the report, Summary of the investigation report by the Integrity also intended to share a translation of the Unit, p. 1, KNVB website, February 2016 the KNVB notes that it has emails www.knvb.nl/downloads/bestand/2148/samenvatting- available from which it derives that onderzoeksrapportage-integriteitseenheid---februari- KARGBO and PERUMAL had contact about 2016 16 E. BARAK, Match-fixing / Illegal betting and CAS manipulating matches of the Sierra Leone 11 Ibid. 10 jurisprudence, in REEB / MAVROMATI (Eds.), Séminaire du national team. 12 Ibid. TAS / CAS Seminar, Lausanne, 2012, p. 202-203 13 For a more extensive analysis of this problem, see: 17 CAS 2009/A/1920, par. 64 of abstract published on E. BARAK and D. KOOLAARD, Match-fixing. The aftermath the CAS website 9 Ibid. of Pobeda what have the past four years brought us?, http://jurisprudence.tas- 10 Ibid. Bulletin TAS CAS Bulletin, 2014/1, p. 23 cas.org/sites/CaseLaw/Shared%20Documents/1920.pdf
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club, it is possible not only to prevent particularly in respect of supporter On 5 March 2016, during the IFAB, the individuals from manipulating matches, violence.20 committee in charge of discussing and but also to encourage other club officials, deciding upon alterations to the Laws of players or members to take action when Although the most recent version of the the Game, it was decided that live trials they become aware of an attempt to KNVB Disciplinary Regulations (edition with video assistant referees (VARs) are 18 2015/2016) determines in article 20(c) permitted for the next two football that a club may be held responsible for seasons, starting 1 June 2016.22 In last As to this issue, it has been argued that, violations committed by its players, no at the time, article 11(1) of the UEFA strict liability principle is adopted in the reluctant to permit any trials with VARs.23 Disciplinary Regulations provided a sound disciplinary regulations of the KNVB. However, after the Annual Business legal basis to sanction a club if one of its Article 19(2) of the KNVB Disciplinary Meeting of IFAB in January 2016, IFAB officials or players were involved in Regulations specifically determines that already announced that trials would most match-fixing for their personal gain in order to make a violation culpable, likely be permitted, which has now without any other person in the club intent, fault, negligence or carelessness is officially been confirmed. being aware. At the time, Article 11(1)(a) required. This may well explain why no of the UEFA Disciplinary Regulations sanction has been imposed on Willem II The approval of experiments with VARs is determined as follows: by the KNVB, for even if a strict liability Laws principle was in force at the time of the of the Game. Rather, it is an element of ciplinary measures provided for in match-fixing, which is not clear, based on the Article 14 and 15 of the present the general legal principle of in mitius, - regulations may be taken against which is an exception to the non- .24 Gender-neutral language members associations or clubs if: retroactivity of laws, permitting the more is now used in the Laws of the Game and lenient criminal law to be applied several amendments of minor importance a) A team, player, official or member is retroactive.21 In view of this principle, the are introduced. For example, the ball will in breach of Article 5 [Article 5 new regulations would have to be applied be allowed to move in any direction from concerned inter alia match-fixing] of and apparently no intent, fault, the kick-off rather than only moving the presen negligence or carelessness can be proven forward (Law 8), while a player who is by the KNVB in respect of Willem II. injured by a challenge punished by a In view of this provision, another legal yellow/red card can now have a quick commentator held that [f]rom the assessment/treatment on the field rather wording of article 11(1) UEFA DR it is clear than having to leave the field which gave that the Panel has discretion on the the offending team a numerical imposition of sanctions in this respect, so IFAB agrees to advantage (Law 5).25 Besides the the decision might differ depending on .19 experiment with Video -
Whereas it was already possible to Assistant Referees: denying another player an obvious goal- sanction a club for the behaviour of one KNVB interested in scoring opportunity is sent off, will be of its players or officials, such possibility suspended for the next match(es) and a was even strengthened in the 2014 participating penalty kick will be awarded. The IFAB edition of the UEFA Disciplinary will experiment with just giving the Regulations, by determining in Article 8 By Dennis KOOLAARD concerned player a yellow card if it does Lawyer - De Kempenaer Advocaten 26 that no fault or negligence is required Arnhem the Netherlands not concern a severe foul. from the side of the club: Royal Dutch Football Federations (KNVB) - The Royal Dutch Football Federation International Football Association Board (The IFAB) - Referee (KNVB) - as the first national football bound by a rule of conduct laid down in association in the world - has IFAB, Annual General Meeting, 5 March 2016 experimented with the possible subject to disciplinary measures and introduction of VARs since 2011. The directives if such a rule is violated as a result of the conduct of one of its members, players, officials or supporters 22 IFAB agrees to introduce experiments with video and any other person exercising a assistant referees, 5 March 2016 function on behalf of the member http://www.fifa.com/about- association or club concerned, even if the fifa/news/y=2016/m=3/news=ifab-agrees-to-introduce- experiments-with-video-assistant-referees- member association or the club concerned 2768643.html can prove the absence of any fault or 23 Cardiff (Wales) - A landmark decision by mistakes keep coming, Inside World Football, 2 March the IFAB at its 130th Annual General 2015 http://www.insideworldfootball.com/fifa/16523- strict liability principle Meeting will pave the way for the football-s-lawmakers-put-video-refs-on-pause-but- consistently applied by UEFA and the CAS, introduction of live experiments with mistakes-keep- video assistant referees in football. coming?highlight=WyJ2aWRlbyIsInJlZmVyZWUiLCJ2aW RlbyByZWZlcmVlIl0 24 Ibid. 20 See for example CAS 2013/A/3139, par. 49 of 25 Ibid. 18 J.-S. LEUBA, Match-Fixing. FK Pobeda et al. v. UEFA abstract published on the CAS website 26 FIFA gaat video-assistant testen; KNVB wil rol spelen, (CAS 2009/A/1920), ISLJ 2010/3-4, p. 163-164 http://jurisprudence.tas- 5 March 2016 19 E. BARAK, Match-fixing / Illegal betting and CAS cas.org/sites/CaseLaw/Shared%20Documents/3139.pdf http://www.knvb.nl/nieuws/themas/arbitrage- 21 jurisprudence, in REEB / MAVROMATI (Eds.), Séminaire du See for instance Art. 1(2) of the Dutch Criminal Code, 20/17034/fifa-gaat-video-assistent-testen-knvb-wil-rol- TAS / CAS Seminar, Lausanne, 2012, p. 203 although not directly applicable in the matter at hand spelen
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KNVB strongly supports the introduction 2016/2017 sporting season and would of VARs in football as it would entail that initially involve about 25 football more correct decision are taken by match matches. The results of the different trials officials and that matches are run more will subsequently be gathered and fairly. It appears from the initial KNVB analysed by IFAB in order to come to a trials that, on average, a VAR can advise uniform protocol regarding VARs.30 the referee within 11 seconds. The Dutch Besides permitting live trials, the IFAB will also select a university to conduct a on video footage from all possible angles research study, which will focus not only focusses on incidents that would have on refereeing but also on the impact on changed had he been allowed to the game itself, including the emotions of communicate with the match officials.27 the stakeholders, in order to provide the The initial experiments have been IFAB with a strong basis for the decision- conducted behind closed doors, without making process.31 any actual contact between the VAR and the match officials. With the permission As opposed to goal-line technology, video of IFAB it is now possible to conduct live referees are not expected to be very trials, where contact between the VAR expensive as the cameras are already and the match officials is possible. inside the football stadiums. The equipment would apparently cost around The competence of the VARs is limited to EUR 300,000.32
situations: goals, penalty decisions and direct red card incidents. In addition, one administrative situation (mistaken identity) has also been denominated as experiment.28 An advice from the VAR may either be solicited by the referee in case of doubt or initiated by the VAR decision by the referee.
An example of how the KNVB believes that the VARs should operate can be seen from a trial that was held on 28 January 2016 in the Dutch premier league match between Feyenoord and Heerenveen. During this match, the VAR, a fully qualified referee that has been trained to act as a VAR, was not in contact with the match officials, but it showed how the VAR would operate in practice. However, in this specific match no incidents occurred that would have triggered any action from the VAR.29
The KNVB has not yet officially been granted the right to experiment with VARs, as the IFAB will meet with the interested competition organisers and FIFA in the coming weeks in order to define a schedule for the next 24 months. Besides the KNVB, the national football associations of Brazil and Germany have also showed interest to play a part in the experiments.
30 in the national cup tournament in the KNVB gaat experimenteren met videoscheidsrechter, NOS, 8 January 2016 http://nos.nl/artikel/2079252-knvb-gaat- experimenteren-met-videoscheidsrechter.html 27 History in the making as video referee trials move 31 Ibid. step closer in football, Telegraph, 6 January 2016 32 Dutch plan roll out of video refs in Eredivisie within 3 28 Experiments with Video Assistant Referees (VARs) years, Inside World Football, 10 February 2016 http://quality.fifa.com/en/VAR/ http://www.insideworldfootball.com/world- 29 Video footage of the match can be seen though the football/europe/18832-dutch-plan-roll-out-of-video- following link: refs-in-eredvisie-within-3- http://www.knvb.nl/nieuws/themas/arbitrage- years?highlight=WyJ2aWRlbyIsInJlZmVyZWUiLCJ2aWRl 20/16431/video-assistent-live byByZWZlcmVlIl0
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