According to PGMOL chief Howard Webb, Premier League referees will soon begin using stadium PA systems to explain their decision-making process when it is modified following a VAR intervention. After visiting the pitchside monitor, officials will soon be able to clarify why an initial ruling has been overturned in order to better educate teams and spectators.
This season, VAR has come under heavy fire for both blunders and a lack of explanation, but the march in the right direction may soon address that problem.
Although it is not allowed to broadcast the live discussion between officials and VARs, football’s lawmakers, IFAB, have been testing what amounts to the next best thing for more than a year.
According to reports from January, the Premier League was planning to implement in-game public explanations for the upcoming season.
In the most recent edition of Match Officials Mic’d Up, Webb also confirmed that efforts were being made to enhance the fan experience by citing the 0-0 tie between Brentford and Brighton & Hove Albion on April 3.
It certainly needs to be better. It makes apparent what’s going on when you listen to the excerpts from shows like this. Everything becomes clear,” Webb said to Michael Owen.
“After going to the screen, you’ll hear referee Andy Madley say, ‘I’m going to speak to Lewis Dunk to explain why the penalty he feels he should have isn’t going to happen because he fouled [Yoane] Wissa before that.’
We’re investigating methods to enhance the in-stadium encounter. One thing you may have seen at FIFA competitions, like as the Women’s World Cup, is the referee’s announcements after they have reached the screen. We are examining that.
We’re keeping an open mind regarding the possibility of using that in the Premier League.
It would be very helpful in cases like this for the referee to be able to address the entire crowd in the stadium and provide an explanation for why Dunk’s foul on Wissa before to the penalty appeal did not result in a penalty.
Following their contentious 2-0 loss to Everton earlier this month, Nottingham Forest’s displeasure with the decisions made by the referees reached a breaking point.
With a shocking social media post, the City Ground team took aim at PGMOL and disclosed that they were uncomfortable with Stuart Attwell, a relegation rival Luton Town supporter, serving as the VAR.
Since then, Webb has acknowledged that Forest felt they should have been granted three penalties at Goodison Park, and that one of those penalties was unfairly disallowed when Ashley Young tackled Callum Hudson-Odoi.
It appears that PGMOL will soon implement a reform that is much needed and will hopefully reduce misunderstanding among players, teams, and spectators.