Use Of Modern Technology To Make Soccer A “Better” Sport?

Different sport disciplines have showed their own way on how to reduce human error in umpiring or refereeing. But soccer did it somewhat reluctantly and with much more complex technology. The referral systems aren’t perfect, as often seen in the sport of cricket, which was among the first to experiment umpiring with technology, but only in line decisions. 

In the first case of possible use in 1991, the umpire refused to call in the TV referee on a run-out in Durban, where the batsman was yards short of the crease. The video-assisted referee (VAR) system was seen shining under the spotlight since its first use on Saturday in the France-Australia World Cup match in Russia.

It may take some time for the tech haters to be convinced that referrals are needed to modernise each sport in their own way. Players and managers may initially rail against using VAR, but there’s no doubt that the all-seeing camera eye can help spot what the human eye often misses in the speed at which events take place. The fear that referrals will hold up fast-paced international soccer may be a tad exaggerated. Field officials will get better at using the technology, much as we have seen in cricket. 

Video tech may reduce abuse from players, but its ultimate test will be in how it helps eliminate obvious instances of miscarriage of justice. If VAR helps referees get the big decisions right — whether a penalty is called for or if the ball has crossed the goal line —  it would help make soccer not only a better spectacle, but also more equitable.