Latest football news as new VAR technology introduction delayed long after intended start
The rollout of semi-automated offside technology [SAOT] in the Premier League has reportedly been postponed until later this year. It was initially expected that the new system would be operational a few months into the Premier League season, but it now seems likely that its installation will be delayed.
This setback was brought to light during Thursday’s Premier League meeting where an update on the implementation of the new offside technology was provided. The technology is currently being adopted in the refreshed Champions League and was also in operation during the 2022 World Cup.
In a significant move last April, Premier League clubs including Liverpool and Everton unanimously agreed to implement SAOT for the current season. The ambition was to have the new system up and running during one of the international breaks this Autumn, yet The Athletic reports that the introduction of SAOT will instead occur this winter.
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Already in use in various competitions, SAOT expedites the offsides decision-making process by employing cameras that monitor “thousands” of data points on players’ bodies and the ball. This advancement significantly cuts down on delays during matches.
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The Premier League anticipates that SAOT will reduce the average decision time by 30 seconds and plans to share these findings via graphics both in stadium screens and during live television broadcasts. Despite the new technology, VAR will remain a part of the decision-making process for offsides, reports football.london.
Off-field officials will be responsible for ensuring the point of contact and offside line are accurately recorded before informing the on-field referee of their decision. The Premier League has also stated that VAR may still be used for what it terms “edge decisions” that are challenging to determine.
In situations where the ball is obscured from camera angles, making an accurate reading difficult – such as when it’s amidst a group of players – or in cases where a subjective judgement is required regarding interference of play, VAR will also step in.
Howard Webb, head of referee body PGMOL, spoke in August about the benefits of semi-automated offsides: “The biggest benefit of semi-automated offsides is around the efficiency of the process. We already believe our interventions around offside are accurate.”
Webb went on to say, “The manual use of technology can take time, particularly in more complicated situations. We’re looking forward to making it quicker but retaining the accuracy.”
He further explained, “It’s ‘semi-automated’ because there still needs to be some validation on the outputs from the technology that the VAR will go through, such as identifying the kick point.”
Meanwhile, a vote on amendments to commercial rules involving Premier League clubs was reportedly taken off the agenda for Thursday’s meeting. This follows Manchester City suing the Premier League earlier this year over ‘discriminatory’ regulations, leading to a hearing this summer.