It is no secret that technology has experienced tremendous growth since its conception. Now that technology has established its place in society, I believe everyone understands it is here to stay. While there are plenty of positives from technological advancements such as the ability to be instantly connected to the media, family, and the world pretty much all the time, there are situations in which technology has been greatly criticized. One such situation includes the use of VAR, video assistant referee, during the 2019 Women’s World Cup.
Soccer fans wait patiently for the World Cup to arrive every four years, whether it be the men’s or women’s tournament, and national pride spikes whenever fans see their nation’s team perform well in this tournament. The World Cup has the power to unite fans throughout the world as they bond over the “beautiful game” and look forward to watching the world’s most elite soccer teams compete. However, plenty of controversy and criticism have come to light during the current Women’s World Cup, as the usage of VAR has eliminated teams and enraged fans. The implementation of VAR into this tournament aimed at using the technology to eliminate blatant errors or serious incidents that may have been missed by a referee such as giving a penalty to the wrong player. While the intent of using VAR is reasonable, fans, players, and teams have become outraged as it seems as if referees are using the system to nitpick minimal rule infractions rather than to genuinely review if a play was intentionally meant to harm another player. A few games have resulted in powerhouse teams being eliminated due to referees using the VAR to call minor infractions that otherwise would never be called which has left fans outraged and players devastated.
Personally, I am not a fan of using the VAR system because, as a former collegiate player, I believe it is ruining the game. For me, the most beautiful part of soccer is its unpredictability and the fact that it was not dependent upon video replays. This frustration is resonating amongst fans and teams at the World Cup as games are being delayed and the amount of stoppage time being added to games is greater than ever before. Additionally, one of the most infuriating factors regarding the use of the VAR system is that it was not used or tested in the women’s game until March 2019, only two months prior to the start of the World Cup. This is a direct insult to the women’s game as VAR was used in many games beginning at least six months before it was used in the Men’s World Cup last summer. While I do not favor the usage of VAR during the World Cup, I understand its importance and how it can help advance the game. Hopefully, the quirks associated with VAR will be fixed in the near future so the system will genuinely enhance the game rather than hinder it.
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