The start of the new English Premier League (EPL) football season is seeing further changes to the way VAR (the video assistant referee) is operated. VAR was introduced to the EPL in 2019 in an attempt to reduce the number of incorrect refereeing decisions, including offsides – but its use is still much criticised.
Video replays of refereeing decisions are reviewed in real time by referees and other officials based in Stockley Park, west London. The advice of these officials and video of the key moment are then fed back to the referee on the pitch, to help ensure the accuracy of their decisions.
The EPL claims the correct decision is now made 96% of the time, up from 82% before the introduction of VAR. Academic research has also found an improvement in decision-making following the introduction of VAR, which last season reviewed around 1,300 EPL match events.
