Premier League clubs wary of VAR removal, fearing damage to league’s reputation

The majority of the 20 Premier League clubs support keeping Video Assistant Referees (VAR), despite Wolverhampton Wanderers proposing a vote on whether the technology should be discontinued.

According to Sky Sports, while the clubs have expressed dissatisfaction with VAR, they believe that scrapping it would be “counterproductive” and could “damage the standing of the Premier League.”

The clubs are advocating for substantial improvements in VAR technology, particularly better training for the officials operating it, as their interpretation of the rules has often undermined the system’s effectiveness.

On Wednesday, May 15, Wolves announced their resolution “after careful consideration and with the utmost respect for the Premier League, PGMOL, and our fellow competitors.” This proposal has prompted a vote set to occur at the annual general meeting in Harrogate on June 6.

Wolves stated, “There is no blame to be placed. We are all just looking for the best possible outcome for football — and all stakeholders have been working hard to try and make the introduction of additional technology a success.” They added, “Our position is that the price we are paying for a small increase in accuracy is at odds with the spirit of our game, and as a result, we should remove it from the 2024/25 season onwards.”

VAR was introduced in the Premier League in the 2019/20 season after its successful use in the 2018 World Cup in Russia. However, it has been a source of ongoing controversy, with clubs frequently criticizing its performance.

**Controversies with VAR**

Since its inception, VAR has been plagued by errors. A significant mistake occurred in September last year when a clear onside goal by Liverpool’s Luiz Diaz against Tottenham Hotspur was disallowed due to a communication breakdown.

In another incident, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta called a defeat to Newcastle United a ‘disgrace’ after Anthony Gordon’s goal was allowed to stand despite VAR checking for three possible fouls. Arteta said at the time, “Embarrassing, it’s an absolute disgrace, that’s what it is: a disgrace. There’s so much at stake, we’ve put in so many hours to compete at the highest level and you cannot imagine the amount of messages we’ve had saying this cannot continue. It’s embarrassing.”

More recently, Nottingham Forest sent letters of complaint to PGMOL and threatened legal action after questioning the appointment of VAR official Stuart Attwell following their defeat to Everton in April.