IFAB approves a new rule that means referees will explain their decisions to both fans in the stadium and the TV audience
The IFAB approves the use of live refereeing microphones to clarify VAR decisions during the Club World Cup in Morocco.
The IFAB adopted a number of new implementations to the game during its Annual Meeting in London, where it discussed regulatory changes that may occur in the coming years. The most interesting change proposed is that referees will explain their VAR decisions through the public address system of the stadiums, NFL-style. The first test will come in the Club World Cup to be held in Morocco next month, with Real Madrid as one of the participating teams.
Referees will announce the reason for their VAR decisions to the stadium public and the sound will also be broadcast on television through their microphone. The rule change comes as part of the test authorised by IFAB and could also be applied at the Women’s World Cup in the summer. The public explanations of the referees are also used in rugby, for example, and are done in order to clarify and understand the reason for a given decision. IFAB understand that in doing so it would be possible to understand a given VAR decision that have, since the system’s implementation, caused various moments of confusion.
Until now, referees had never had to explain their decisions in public and had remained in the background of the game. With the change, decisions will be made clear on issues in which VAR has intervened. It must be remembered that the IFAB trial periods for most proposals are two years long and must be implemented in tournaments such as Club World Cups, youth and women’s tournaments to see if they work to full effect.
Another issue discussed at the Annual Meeting was to use a stopped clock instead of running one. It is one of the three proposals that IFAB are considering to improve the current in-play time of the matches. IFAB are the the body that regulates the rules of soccer and is made up of the four British associations, which have one vote each, and FIFA, which has four. Any proposal must have six out of eight votes in favour in order to be passed.