Premier League clubs are reportedly set to vote this summer on whether to scrap VAR ahead of next season, with Wolves having submitted a resolution calling for it to be removed.
This season, Wolves have been stung by a number of decisions that have cost Gary O’Neil and his players crucial points.
Wanderers have the potential to finish on 49 points with a final-day win over Liverpool this weekend. But the final points tally may well have been a lot higher had a number of decisions gone the other way.
Wolves have been on the receiving end of their fair share of dodgy decisions.
In the very first game against Manchester United, Andre Onana clattered into Sasa Kalajdzic but a penalty was not given. Wolves received an apology.
Penalties were given against Wolves for practically identical challenges by Hwang Hee-chan and Fabio Silva against Newcastle United and Sheffield United respectively. Replays clearly showed dives from the opposition players.
More recently, Max Kilman saw a late equaliser harshly chalked off against West Ham United. Against Nottingham Forest, Morgan Gibbs-White scored but pushed Nelson Semedo to create space for a free header. And against Bournemouth, Hwang had a header chalked off after Matheus Cunha brushed a player with his arm in the build-up, although not a single player complained.
Wolves have had enough, and now they have made their feelings known…
Wolves formally submit resolution to the Premier League calling for VAR to be scrapped with nine ‘repercussions’ offered
The big news tonight is that Wolves have now formally submitted a resolution to the Premier League, calling for VAR to be scrapped.
As reported by The Athletic, this resolution will now will now ‘trigger a vote when representatives of the 20 clubs assemble for their yearly gathering, in Harrogate on June 6’.
Clubs will vote on whether to abolish the video assistant referee (VAR) system from the start of next season.
Wolves put forward nine repercussions of having and persisting with VAR, which are as follows:
- Impact on goal celebrations and the spontaneous passion that makes football special
- Frustration and confusion inside stadiums due to lengthy VAR checks and poor communication
- A more hostile atmosphere with protests, booing of the Premier League anthem and chants against VAR
- Overreach of VAR’s original purpose to correct clear and obvious mistakes, now overanalysing subjective decisions and compromising the game’s fluidity and integrity
- Diminished accountability of on-field officials, due to the safety net of VAR, leading to an erosion of authority on the pitch
- Continued errors despite VAR, with supporters unable to accept human error after multiple views and replays, damaging confidence in officiating standards
- Disruption of the Premier League’s fast pace with lengthy VAR checks and more added time, causing matches to run excessively long
- Constant discourse about VAR decisions often overshadowing the match itself, and tarnishing the reputation of the league
- Erosion of trust and reputation, with VAR fuelling completely nonsensical allegations of corruption
If VAR is indeed to be scrapped, then it will need a two-thirds majority, so 14 of the 20 Premier League clubs will need to vote as such.
A big development
This is big news, and there is already a big response on social media.
VAR is a very divisive topic, although the general consensus these days is that it is not fit for purpose, at least in its current state.
You will be hard-pressed to find a Wolves fan who wants it to stick around after so many rotten decisions went against the club in 2023/24.
It is something of a shame we have reached this point. On paper, VAR is a good idea. But it has just been so badly run, and those operating it have fallen well short of expectations.