VAR's mission creep a problem for football

How much technology is too much? VAR appears to have strayed too far from its original mission Image: Jan Woitas/dpa/picture alliance

Another domestic football season is underway and already, in mid-September, the shortcomings of technology in sport are at the center of the discourse once again.

The video assistant referee (VAR) is perhaps the most discussed technology in modern sport. While video replays have been in use for years in sports like American football, rugby or cricket , it has only been a decade since the International Football Association Board (IFAB), the highest regulatory authority in the sport, approved the use of VAR.

With artificial intelligence (AI) reportedly reaching dangerous levels of development and technological optimization of people's lives at an all-time high, it is perhaps a pertinent time to consider the use of technology in sport. Has it finally evolved from a supporting role to an all-powerful, game-altering one?

"The idea behind VAR was that technology could reduce human error while leaving the referee in charge," Susmit Gulavani, an assistant professor in AI and machine learning in sport at the University of South Carolina, told DW.

"Over time, however, VAR has expanded in both its use and its influence. The introduction of newer technologies, such as AI-assisted Semi-Automated Offside Technology (SAOT), has made it an increasingly central part of decision making. While these advances have improved the precision of offside decisions, they have also raised expectations that technology should deliver perfect outcomes," he said.

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