Fears football will become 'laughing stock' if VAR expanded to free kicks and corners

VAR could be set to take on more decisions in the Premier League – prompting one insider to call the game “a laughing stock” should its expansion go ahead.

The International Football Association Board (IFAB) has been discussing if the technology could extend its remit to verifying free-kicks, checking second yellow cards that lead to red cards, and for corners – areas in which it cannot currently intervene.

Currently, referees defer to video replays for scenarios like checking goals, penalties, and straight red cards.

On the potential extension, one IFAB insider told Sky News: “We would become a laughing stock. There has been enough criticism already.”

There have been concerns about lengthy delays in Premier League matches caused by VAR checks and on-pitch reviews by referees of incidents on screens.

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Matches regularly go beyond 90 minutes with some extending over 100 minutes.

There is a lot of resistance to expanding its use, especially by managers who deem many of the decisions taken after a VAR inspection as unacceptable.

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The deliberations come after Wolves boss Gary O’Neil said his team’s controversial defeat to Fulham “finally turned [him] against VAR” as a couple of penalty and potential red card decisions went against them.

O’Neil claimed referee Michael Salisbury and his officiating team admitted to three errors in Monday’s 3-2 loss at Craven Cottage.

While VAR has made hundreds of correct calls since its introduction to the Premier League in 2019 its use has been overshadowed by numerous controversial decisions with the PGMOL, the body responsible for referees in English football, apologising for decisions later accepted to be wrong.

It incorrectly disallowed a legitimate goal for offside by Luis Diaz against Tottenham in which Liverpool went on to lose the game.

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Could the change go ahead?

Half of IFAB’s eight votes are controlled by the world governing body, FIFA, and the other four are held by the English, Northern Ireland, Scottish and Welsh FAs.

Changes to the laws of football require six votes in favour.

English FA chief executive Mark Bullingham is opposed to any expanded use of VAR that stops games more.

Some of the IFAB lawmakers think the issues lie in the English game with other countries not facing such problems with the technology.

There are concerns if VAR was used to check second bookings there would be a need to also allow reviews of any yellow card offences by players.

But there is some discussion in IFAB about more automation if rapid determinations could be made on whether a ball went out for a corner.

VAR’s current use

Currently, VAR monitors entire matches and is used only for “clear and obvious errors” or “serious missed incidents” according to a Premier League statement.

The system checks for any factual infringements leading to a goal like offside or a ball going out of play, and subjective calls like fouls or handball in the build-up, where the goal can then be overturned.

It also verifies penalties, direct red card decisions, and cases of mistaken identity when awarding a decision.

The referee makes the final call at all times.

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