PGMOL chief refereeing officer Howard Webb has revealed why live audio and footage between Video Assistant Referees and on-field refs isn't allowed during Premier League games.
In an attempt to provide more transparency surrounding VAR, Webb joined Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville on Sky Sports' Monday Night Football to discuss several decisions involving the technology from the current Premier League season.
In never-before-seen footage, those watching on TV were offered a glimpse behind the curtain about the inner workings of VAR, with detailed conversations between officials presented to highlight how a decision is ultimately reached.
Fans and pundits alike have been calling for greater transparency on key decisions in fixtures, something Neville asked Webb: “Fans need to see this, don’t they? We need to see this and players need to see this.
“What’s it going to take for you to - where fans don’t like a decision - release the footage transparently of the big decisions?
“If you put the footage out that night, it would probably clear up whether it is a human error. Can that come in next season?”
In response, Webb said PGMOL are considering releasing conversations in key VAR decisions in the future and explaining them in formats similar to those seen on MNF.
While discussing the possibility of in-game audio being made available live to people watching on TV or even in the stadium, Webb then stated it simply isn't an option at the moment.
“Obviously, this is something new. We are making a small step forward and going forward into next season we’ll be looking to do more of the same," he said.
“We can’t play it live in game. That is not allowed within the laws of the game. FIFA don’t allow it to be played out during the game. Who knows where that might go in the future? But there is nothing from stopping us from doing what we are doing tonight and showing that information later.
“I hope tonight’s been a good insight as we’ve revealed how officials communicate and some of the rationale behind the decisions. Going forward we want to do more of the same.”
