Former top Premier League referee Mark Halsey has slammed the excessive use of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) in the league.
Halsey argues that referees now rely too heavily on the technology rather than making decisive calls themselves.
Speaking about the recent 2-2 draw between Chelsea and Aston Villa, Halsey questioned why VAR intervened to disallow Axel Disasi’s stoppage-time winner.
He argued that referee Craig Pawson, the on-field official during the game, had a clear view of the incident and should have made the decision in real-time.
While Halsey noted that the correct decision was reached, he expressed concern over the process, stating that VAR should not be used to re-referee matches but to correct clear and obvious errors.
“Referee Craig Pawson had a great view of the incident, he was looking directly at both players and allowed play to continue.
“If Pawson thought it was a foul by Benoit Badiashile on Diego Carlos then why didn’t he award a free-kick straight away?
“I felt it was a foul but Pawson had to give it in real time and then there wouldn’t have been a fuss afterwards.
“My big problem with this incident is it’s a classic case of technology re-refereeing a game and not what VAR is there for,” Halsey said.
The former referee’s criticism comes following Chelsea’s frustration with the decision, with players and coaching staff protesting strongly at the final whistle.
Chelsea’s Noni Madueke said he was disappointed with the call, believing the goal should have stood, but cost his team three points.
The Blues manager Mauricio Pochettino also weighed in on the situation, lamenting the impact of VAR on the image of the Premier League.
He added that the use of VAR technology had damaged his team and football as a whole.
