Five minutes before the end of the EC match between Belgium and Slovakia this week, the TV viewers were introduced to an innovation in international football. “Everyone” thought Romelu Lukaku had equalized for the Belgians in the 85th minute, but the goal was surprisingly canceled for a very marginal hand in the build-up of the attack. See the cancellation here: Neither the assistant referees nor the main referees saw the hand. It was also difficult to detect on the first TV replays. But thanks to a sound technology sensor, which is placed on the inside of the EC ball “Fussballiebe”, the referee received documentation that Belgium’s Loïs Openda was touching the ball with his hand when he won the duel ahead of the goal-scoring pass. EURO BALL: It has been named Fussballsiebe, which can be translated into football love. Photo: AP Thus, Belgium’s equalizing goal was canceled in dramatic fashion. – I was shocked Fussballiebe is a so-called “smart ball” that sends a signal to the VAR referee in every match, and according to Uefa, the goal is to shorten the waiting time before decisions are made in the VAR room and “discover more than meets the eye”. What do you think of the new ball sensor in the EC? Very good Haven’t decided Get it removed Show result But not everyone is impressed. – It is incredible that something like that can be cancelled. It took almost ten seconds (from the handoff) until Lukaku scored… I was shocked, says Lillestrøm captain Gjermund Åsen to news. – I thought I was watching a comedy show In Åråsen, they have long had an official position against VAR. LSK’s annual meeting recently decided that the club will work to abolish VAR in Norwegian football. Åsen can easily stand behind that attitude, and especially the new technology that the discovered hand is subjected to by the trønder. – I thought I was watching a comedy show, when I saw that heart rate monitor. That’s as stupid as it gets. It’s like you see in the hospital when people die in movies and stuff like that. Suddenly you see it in European Championship 2024, sighs Åsen. CRITICAL: Andreas Georgson and Gjermund Åsen do not have much sense for the new VAR innovation. Photo: Carina Johansen / NTB The so-called “Connected Ball technology” was introduced before the WC in Qatar, but that time without the TV viewers seeing the sensor in motion on the screen. When Cristiano Ronaldo claimed he had hit the ball with his head and scored against Uruguay, the Adidas sensors could reveal that there had been no contact, writes the New York Times. Lillestrøm coach Andreas Georgson is also skeptical that the VAR referee now has a sensor in the ball to deal with. – I thought at first that it was an EKG measurement on the players who were involved in the situation. But I quickly understood that he showed that the ball had been touched by his hand, he says to news. news has confronted Uefa with the criticism. In an e-mail, they do not respond directly to the criticism, but explain what the technology entails and write further: – In connection with the match between Slovakia and Belgium, the sensor managed to record the touch from the player’s hand, as was shown on the TV broadcast and which the referee could see when he looked at it on the screen. This was the first time this fast and precise technology helped with a referee’s decision during a match in the football European Championship 2024. – Where can this come from? Georgson sat in front of the TV and watched the Belgium match himself. When he saw that “Goal review” came up and that the goal was to be checked by VAR, he was surprised. – Then I thought: “Where can this come from? What situation?” And then we know that with “slow motion”, when you go far back in the attack, you can almost find a rule violation in any scoring, says the Swedish coach. COMEDY SHOW: That’s the word Gjermund Åsen uses for this technology. Photo: Skjermdump / news He is frustrated by the whole situation and thinks the new technology will be a straitjacket for the VAR referees. – If there is a movement on that painter, the referee feels compelled to judge. Then he stops using the understanding of the game. I understand the point that you can get it answered immediately if someone has been in contact with the ball. But that is probably also my fear. It will be very difficult for the referee to use his understanding of the game, believes the LSK manager. “Give me my sport back” Georgson is among those who have long had enough of VAR. After the Belgium cancellation, he wrote on X: “Give me my sport back”. – The sport that I once fell in love with, and which will become a lifelong passion. I want to cherish that passion, says Georgson. He has long since taken the position that VAR does more harm than good for football. The Swedish coach emphasizes that football, in his eyes, is the feeling and the big winks that occur when a football match’s relatively few goals become a fact. – When something comes in and constantly distracts that passion, I’m a little uneasy. If one is going to scrutinize all offsides and all goals, it is dangerous, he believes. – I never celebrate goals anymore Belgium’s defensive profile Jan Vertonghen has struggled with injuries and sat on the bench in the first game. At a press conference on Tuesday, he opened up about his dissatisfaction with VAR. – I never celebrate goals anymore, except if we score from midfield. That’s the stupid thing about football now. 80 percent of the goals are rejected, Verthongen believes. SKEPTICAL: Jan Vertonghen does not like the development. Photo: THOMAS KIENZLE / AFP Would rather have referee errors The LSK coach states that he would much rather have referees who make decisions here and there, and sometimes miss. He believes it is easier to accept human error than to have a video refereeing system that breaks up and destroys the important moments in the sport. – If the referees on the pitch don’t see it, it’s rather the case that I live with it. Then you can use VAR for red cards and penalties, because I think it breaks the rhythm to a lesser extent than other things. When you have to look for mistakes in small, tiny details, I have a hard time seeing that it will turn out well. – I was actually a bit more upset, Gjermund Åsen says he was born and raised with a football that is very little influenced by technology. That’s also how he prefers it. – I was actually a bit more upset when I saw it there, he says of Belgium’s cancellation. He still watches football matches and is a big fan of the sport. But the new VAR existence has done something to him. – Regardless of what happens on a track when it comes to key situations, I don’t really dare to react spontaneously. You actually just sit and wait a bit for it to be taken by VAR, you somehow don’t get the emotional register that football may have been extreme on, with ups and downs. That heart rate measurement took the cake, he says. There are also those who support the refereeing team in canceling Belgium’s late 1-1 draw. Jesper Mathisen says to TV 2: – When you see it in the replay, the hand is crystal clear, and even though I feel for Belgium, I don’t think you will find a referee in the whole EC who doesn’t referee there. 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– As stupid as it gets – Football European Championship 2024
