Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The National (Scotland)
The National (Scotland)
Sport
Ewan Paton

Four points VAR can help Scottish officials with - but the one area it can't

WE are on the eve of VAR's introduction into Scottish domestic football. 

The video technology will make its debut in the Premiership tomorrow night at Easter Road. 

Hibs host St Johnstone under the lights, with VAR in operation for the first time in Scotland's top flight.

It was confirmed that week that it would be rolled out over this weekend's fixtures, with its utilisation in games continuing thereafter.

It was nearly a unanimous vote to bring VAR into Scottish football, with just one out of the 42 professional clubs rejecting it.

There has been controversy surrounding the timeframe for its introduction though, as it of course arrives not even mid-way through the season.

However, after months of testing at Clydesdale House, the VARs are ready to help out on Scottish FA's on field officials going forward. 

VAR can intervene in the event of a clear and obvious error, or a serious missed incident in relation to goals, mistaken identity, penalty area incidents and straight red cards.

VAR will automatically be checking these things, so players and coaches do not need to ask for an intervention.

It will also intervene in cases of mistaken identity when the wrong player has been shown a yellow or red card.

However, the one key area that VAR will not intervene with is first and second yellow cards.

For example, if the referee fails to show a yellow card (even a second yellow card), VAR cannot intervene unless they think that the yellow card should be a red card instead.

Also, understandably if a team is incorrectly awarded a corner kick and they score from it, VAR cannot intervene.

A key point to remember is that VAR does not make decisions, they can only recommend action to the referee.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.