Addis Ababa, June 6, 2024 (Addis Walta) English Premier League Clubs voted 19 to 1 in favor of keeping the Video Assistance Referee (VAR) in 2024/25 season.
Wolves triggered a vote on the use of VAR in the next season after formally submitting a resolution to the Premier League in May 2024.
The club presented a nine reasons to support the suspension of VAR use in the highflying league.
The Premier League has been under serious criticism on the use of VAR which was introduced to the league at the end of 2019/20 season.
Fans, players and clubs have been venting their fumes on frequent match interruptions, delays, disallowance/instating of goals in high pacing football match which disrupt the momentum of the game. Fans have been frequently complaining that the application of VAR in matches significantly changing the game experience they used to enjoy prior to its introduction.
In addition, match officials have been making frequent erroneous decisions which VAR has intended to alleviate.
However, the decision to keep the use of VAR come with precondition according to Sky News.
At the Annual General Meeting, the Premier League, the Professional Game Match Officials League (PGMOL) are said to have key role in the improvement of the system and reputation.
As part of ongoing work to improve VAR, six key areas were focused including reducing delays to the game, improving fan experience through a reduction in the delays, implementation of more robust VAR training to improve consistency, increasing transparency and communication around VAR, delivery of a fan and stakeholder VAR communication campaign and among others.
In order to pass the resolution triggered by Wolves, at least 14 clubs must have voted it.
