Xtra Time Web Desk : The upcoming AFC Women’s Asian Cup is undoubtedly going to be a historic tournament as Video Assistant Referee (VAR) will be introduced in India for the first time. The marquee tournament which will see the VAR making it’s debut from it’s quarterfinal stages, will be played from January 20 to February 6 in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Pune respectively.
The event will see VAR making its tournament debut when the teams walk out for the games from January 30 onwards. The technology will be used till the final match on February 6 across the two knockout venues — DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai and the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Balewadi, Pune. Preparations for installation and setup of the technology have already begun in the respective venues.
Apart from the stadiums on match days, the referees’ training sites will be equipped with a similar VAR setup and simulators will also be made available to the referees in their hotel. The AFC is leaving no stones unturned in ensuring the highest standards of refereeing at the tournament with multiple technical tests being performed at the stadiums and training sites before the VAR is officially introduced in the country, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) said.
During the tournament, six dedicated video match officials will have access to seven different live camera feeds to inspect every action on the field.
There are four categories of decisions that VAR can review — goal/no goal, penalty/no penalty, direct red card, and mistaken identity in awarding a red or yellow card. The VAR match official and the on-field referee will work in tandem to make the category of decisions wherein either the VAR or the on-field referee can initiate a review. Upon review, the VAR can recommend the on-field referee to overturn their decision in case a clear and obvious error has been spotted.
(News Courtesy : PTI)