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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
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Simon Jenkins

For a bird’s eye view of British conservatism, look at sport. No wonder VAR in football is in trouble

VAR Football Simon Jenkins Cricket the Premier League World Cup
Referee Michael Salisbury checks the VAR monitor before showing Reece James of Chelsea the red card in his team’s match at Brighton on Wednesday.
Referee Michael Salisbury checks the VAR monitor before showing Reece James of Chelsea the red card in his team’s match at Brighton on Wednesday. Photograph: Dave Shopland/REX/Shutterstock

There is one test of a true radical. It is not a quest for revolution in politics, philosophy, art or religion. The challenge lies in the realm of sport. Sport alone is immune to reform. It is enslaved to the past.

Olympic athletes wield the weapons of ancient Athens. The golf club dates from the hundred years war. The size of a football goal was fixed in a Holborn pub in 1863, probably by the reach of the barman. The elegance of cricket is a legacy of the British empire. Gentlemen officers enjoyed a languid five days in which to play a match.

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