Good communication is the bridge between confusion and clarity
VAR has been a part of the game for over five years, providing significant assistance to match officials.
However, controversies still persist in the game regarding calls made by VAR and events not reviewed by VAR,
among other issues. On October 01, 2023, a notable incident occurred when VAR officials made an incorrect
decision disallowing a goal scored by Liverpool's Luiz Diaz, which was initially judged as offside
by the assistant referee. The VAR team examined the images and communicated to the referee, saying,
"And stop. Check complete, check complete. That’s fine, perfect.".
However, their response seemed to assume that the on-field decision was correct.
This communication ambiguity led to a restart of the game based on the assistant referee's decision.
Despite the replay operator promptly pointing out the mistake to the VAR team,
they were unable to intervene due to the rules stipulating that a restarted game can only be reviewed
for mistaken identity or red card offenses.
This incident highlighted concerns about the competence of VAR officials and systemic failures in rectifying mistakes.
Here is the full transcript released publicly by Professional Game Match Officials Limited with excerpts of miscommunication in bold letters:
VAR: Possible offside, Díaz.
Assistant referee 2: Give it.
Assistant referee 1: Coming back for the offside, mate.
VAR: Just checking the offside. Delay, delay. Give the kick point, let’s go. Kick point please?
Referee: Yeah, no worries mate.
Replay operator: So, here we are. Just get a tight angle.
VAR: Yeah, give me 2D line ready after this one for frame two after that.
Replay operator: So frame two there?
VAR: That’s fine. Perfect, yeah. 2D line on the left boot.
Replay operator: Let me just switch angles.
VAR: Romero, I think it is?
Replay operator: I think it might be this angle better? Happy with this angle?
VAR: Yep.
Replay operator: 2D line on the boot?
VAR: 2D line on the boot.
Replay operator: Yeah, OK. So 2D line on the boot.
VAR: And stop. Check complete, check complete. That’s fine, perfect.
Assistant referee 1: Playing.
Referee: Cheers mate.
VAR: Thank you mate.
Referee: Well done boys, good process.
Replay operator: Wait, wait, wait, wait. The on-field decision was offside. Are you happy with this?
Assistant VAR: Yeah.
Replay operator: Are you happy with this?
Assistant VAR: Offside, goal, yeah. That’s wrong that, Daz.
VAR: What?
Replay operator: On-field decision was offside. Are you happy with this image? Yeah, it’s onside. The image that we gave them is onside.
Assistant VAR: He’s played him, he’s gone offside.
VAR: Oh *expletive*
Replay operator: Delay, delay. Oli’s [PGMOL Hub Ops] saying to delay, Oli’s saying to delay.
VAR: Pardon?
Replay operator: Oli’s calling in to say delay the game. The decision is onside.
VAR: Can’t do anything.
Replay operator: Oli’s saying to delay, Oli’s saying to delay.
VAR: Oli?
Fourth official: Yeah?
Replay operator: Delay the game, to delay the game? Stop the game.
VAR: They’ve restarted the game. Can’t do anything, can’t do anything.
Assistant VAR: Yeah, they’ve restarted. Yeah.
VAR: I can’t do anything. I can’t do anything. *expletive*