The AFC Champions League: Maintaining the Video Assist System

Video assistance referee (VAR) will be implemented for the second consecutive season during the 2021 AFC Champions League. The integration of VAR into AFC competitions began in the phase of 2019 AFC UAE Asian Cup quarter-final before the system is adopted for the 32 matches of the AFC U23 Thailand 2020 Championship.

New References in Asian Arbitration

Following VAR's debut in the last edition of the AFC Champions League, which was the first in the history of AFC club competitions, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) will continue to set new benchmarks in Asian refereeing by adding the system in the AFC Cup final. The system has obviously been validated by FIFA.

Situations in Which Video Assistance Can Intervene

Intended to correct only clear and obvious errors or undetected playing facts included in the protocol, VAR is not intended to "re-officiate" matches. Video assistance may intervene after a goal scored (validated or not), on a whistled penalty situation or not, on a direct red card or on an error of identity of the penalized player. According to a former international referee, "The VAR is used in four specific cases. First it allows a goal to be validated. There is also the case of penalties. A third case is the red card. There is a fourth and final scenario: the wrong identity, if you sanction a player with a yellow or red card while it is another player. "

The Procedure for Using Video Assistance

Video assistance will be able to constantly monitor all gaming situations and have a certain impact on the results of the games. So far, fans can have access to some Champions League betting tips to know how to place their bet, and they will be able to understand better what will going on with the implementation and use of new technologies on the side of the field. Headset control will also be in place. The video assistance will communicate with the referee in the event of control of one of the situations falling within the framework of the protocol requiring to delay the resumption of play. At this moment, the referee places his finger on the headset thus signifying that he is in communication with the video assistance. In addition, when viewing a match, video support will conduct a more comprehensive review of the situation. The initial decision can potentially be changed.

Integration of VAR in AFC Competitions

To ensure seamless integration of VAR into AFC competitions, numerous VAR courses and seminars have been held since March 2017, while AFC VAR Information Officer (VIO) workshops have also been held to ensure that VIOs are held at current with the latest VAR developments. The VAR system, which aims to provide minimum interference with maximum benefit, is limited to four decisions or incidents, in particular: goal or no goal, penalty kicks, direct red cards, and mistaken identity decisions. "We will always have a debate, the VAR will not solve everything, says the former referee, who is for a moderate use of this technology. There will always be a problem of appreciation: the image is not the truth of the field, the referee can have his judgment on a hand, for example, is it intentional? You have a video referee who will say there is no intention. We can also move the debate from the field towards the screen, that's why you have to be careful about using VAR."