100 more wrong decisions if VAR scrapped - Premier League

There would beryllium 100 much incorrect refereeing decisions made per play if clubs ballot to scrap video adjunct referees (VAR), nan Premier League has claimed.

The convention sent a briefing archive to each 20 clubs earlier nan yearly wide gathering connected Thursday, 6 June, explaining nan reasons why it feels VAR should remain.

Wolves formally submitted a resolution to nan Premier League successful May, which triggered a ballot connected nan continued usage of VAR.

Premier League clubs are improbable to ballot done this proposal, though in-game VAR announcements are group to beryllium introduced.

The Premier League sent a 'VAR Improvement Plan' to clubs connected Wednesday, written by main shot serviceman Tony Scholes.

The document, seen by BBC Sport, includes a conception connected nan foreseen effect of removing VAR.

Among nan consequences listed is that immoderate "match-defining" decisions from on-field referees which were incorrect would not beryllium overturned should VAR beryllium absent.

It acknowledges that while scrapping VAR would consequence successful less interruptions and delays to nan game, "significantly much officiating errors would beryllium made (around 100 per season), including highly contentious match-deciding incidents, perchance successful critically important matches."

The Premier League besides states location were only 5 incorrect VAR interventions past season, compared to 105 correct calls. This is an betterment connected 2022-23, erstwhile nan convention says location were 11 incorrect VAR decisions to 105 which were right.

Among nan different reasons cited to support VAR is that nan Premier League is "contractually committed to important operating costs elements of VAR for nan adjacent 3 years".

As nan Premier League would beryllium nan only awesome European convention to region VAR if nan ballot passes, nan convention warns that it would beryllium "potentially damaging" to its reputation, while English referees would not get awesome assignments for Uefa aliases Fifa tournaments "as regular acquisition operating some on-field pinch VAR and acting arsenic VAR domestically are critical".

In nan aforesaid briefing document, nan Premier League accepts location are issues pinch VAR which it is attempting to sort, including nan magnitude of clip it takes for decisions to beryllium made.

The archive says nan mean hold to a crippled for a azygous VAR cheque lasted 64 seconds successful nan 2023‑24 season, up from 40 seconds successful 2022-23.

One expected alteration is nan usage of in-game VAR announcements from referees, which Fifa introduced astatine a number of its competitions past year, including nan 2023 Women’s World Cup.

These changes are apt to beryllium welcomed by astir Premier League clubs. BBC Sport understands Manchester City, Arsenal and Tottenham are among clubs who want to support VAR, but are demanding that improvements are made.

Liverpool are besides not supporting moves to get free of VAR.

But Wolves stay staunchly successful favour of scrapping VAR and sent retired a briefing insubstantial of their ain connected Wednesday.

The nine item arsenic issues nan antagonistic effect connected match-going fans and their acquisition astatine games, arsenic good arsenic what they declare is simply a much negligible effect connected correct decisions.

"Wolves reason that nan usage of VAR has led to accrued disengagement among nan Premier League’s match-attending fans owed to its adverse effects connected nan lucifer experience, resulting successful apathy, hostility and erosion of spot successful football's authorities and officials," they said successful nan paper.

They added: "Premier League information shows an summation successful correct decisions from 82% pre-VAR to 96% pinch VAR, highlighting its effectiveness successful reducing errors.

"If we put speech nan statement connected whether nan information is reliable and convincing, while wide accuracy mightiness beryllium accrued to a debatable degree, nan costs successful position of lucifer enjoyment and instrumentality engagement outweighs these benefits.

"The integrity of nan crippled is compromised by lengthy interruptions and inconsistent exertion of VAR protocols."