By Andrew Warshaw
February 26 – Video assistant referees (VAR) will not be used in European competition next season even if they are approved for this summer’s World Cup, according to UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin.
Football’s lawmakers next weekend take one of the most momentous decisions of recent years when voting whether to give VARs the green light to be used in Russia.
If, as anticipated, the International FA Board gives the thumbs up, that in theory should mean VARs becoming law from June onwards after a two-year experiment in various leagues.
But Ceferin, who has constantly questioned whether the introduction of VARs is premature following a string of controversial cases throughout Europe, wants more research before allowing the system in the Champions League.
Ceferin’s opposite number at FIFA, Gianni Infantino, is leading the drive towards VARs being used at the World Cup but last month, Ceferin said the move could prove counter-productive if problems with the system are not ironed out.
He re-iterated that stance at a press conference following UEFA’s annual congress in Bratislava.
“I know about the IFAB meeting but I don’t think they will make it a rule,” Ceferin told reporters. “They will probably allow everyone to test it. It will probably be used at the World Cup but we will not use it in the Champions League, I can tell you that.
“I am not against it because there is no way back any more. But we have to educate referees properly and explain more to the fans. Nobody exactly knows how it works which might be a big problem. The biggest leagues in Europe have tested it apart from the Premier league. For me it might be useful for football but we should not rush into decisions. I see a lot of confusion from time to time.”
During the UEFA congress itself, Juan Luis Larrea Sarobe (Spain) was elected to the Executive Committee for a one-year term and Sándor Csányi (Hungary) elected FIFA vice-president, also for one year, both by acclamation. Following the election of Csányi, Fernando Gomes will replace him as a member of the FIFA Council until the 2019 UEFA Congress.
Meanwhile Lars-Christer Olsson, head of the European Professional Football Leagues, was rubber-stamped as a UEFA exco member until 2021.
In his president’s address to congress, Ceferin told delegates that since he took over from Michel Platini in September 2016, UEFA had “never acted out of fear” when it came to decision-making, notably restricting individual power.
In a veiled barb against Platini’s perceived policy of favouritism and personal favours, Ceferin added: “UEFA is not above the law and rightly so. Since we started our journey together, we have not been afraid to revise the way in which we select hosts for the finals of UEFA competitions and have returned to a system of invitations to bid. It was important to put an end to any suggestion of decisions being made by order or favours amongst friends.”
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