Another first for VAR: a ban and fine for insulting review system
Juventus sporting director Fabio Paratici was slapped with a 14-day suspension and a 20,000-euro fine for comments made after Atalanta game.
The rolling out of the video assistant referee (VAR) in football is continuing to draw praise and criticism in almost equal measure but in Italy the technology has been met with a good dose of dissatisfaction, to the extent that the football authorities governing Serie A have decided to impose sanctions on anyone who voices their discord with the review system.
The first person to fall foul of the new regulations is Juventus sporting director Fabio Paratici, who has been fined 20,000 euros and banned from carrying out his duties for 14 days, essentially barring him from the pitch and the changing room.
Juve sporting director fined for "insulting language" towards VAR
Paratici was cited for aiming “offensive language towards the VAR system” in the tunnel after Juve’s 2-2 draw with Atalanta last weekend, during which Mario Mandzukic had a strike ruled out for a foul in the lead-up to his goal as the Serie A champions dropped their first points of the season.
Juve coach Massimiliano Allegri has also expressed his dissatisfaction with the VAR system, opining recently that the delays caused by the consultation with the eye in the sky will lead to games lasting “four hours.”
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