The International Broadcasting Center (IBC) for the journalists of the FIFA World Cup (2018 FIFA World Cup, from June 14 to July 15) was opened at the Crocus Expo in Krasnogorsk, Moscow Region. On an area of 40,000 sq. m there are rooms for accredited broadcasters, production centers, studios for video broadcasts, for determining the quality of broadcasting and other premises. One of the most attractive places was the video recording system (VAR) room.
“Thanks to IBC, the whole world will be able to watch what is happening in the tournament,” said President of the International Football Association (FIFA) Gianni Infantino. “For the best world championship, we have the best ever IBC. For the first time in the world championship, we will use VAR (video assistance system for referees). I hope we can all together host the best world championship, ”he said during the opening ceremony on 8 June.
How to help arbitrators?
In March 2018, FIFA approved the use of a video recording system (VAR) in stadiums during the 2018 World Cup.
The system reduces the number of referee errors and helps the referee to make correct decisions in controversial moments. It is already used by various football leagues. The 2018 World Cup in Russia will be the first in history where this system will be – the association independently equipped all VAR stadiums.
For the first time, FIFA tested the system at the 2017 Confederations Cup in Russia. Thanks to VAR, the judges made 29 decisions and corrected six, recalls Kirill Kulakov, general director of the RMA business school. “Without the VAR system, we would have got another tournament – probably less honest,” – quoted Sports.ru President of FIFA Gianni Infantino. Then the matches were held in four stadiums, where there were special rooms for reviewing game moments.
VAR now has a central office located at the International Broadcasting Center and video rooms in every stadium.
At the headquarters, eight people will be watching the game on more than 10 screens, said Sebastian Wolfgang, head of the FIFA innovation department, with four judges and four operators monitoring replays. There are only two such screens at each stadium, the referee and the operator are watching the game. The judges on the field will be equipped with a special earpiece that will allow them to contact them in case of an error or controversial results.
VAR monitors specific events on the pitch, Wolfgang continues: goals scored and unscored, offside and fouls, penalty situations, free kicks and red cards, and personalizes all players. The game will be monitored by 33 cameras on the pitch and two on the rooftops of the stadiums. In total, 37 cameras are used to broadcast matches to viewers, the picture from which is received by about 40 broadcasters, a FIFA spokesman said.
Why do you need video recording?
Eight years ago, at the World Championships in South Africa, the same refereeing mistake was made, after which the need for a system became obvious, Kulakov recalls. In the 1/8 finals England – Germany Briton Frank Lampard scored a goal, which the referee did not notice, which demoralized the British and the team eventually lost. At the World Cup in Brazil in 2014, experts counted at least 11 matches where the referees made mistakes that could affect the outcome of the games, Kulakov recalls.
“For the 2018 World Cup, we expect VAR to make decisions in every third match,” says Wolfgang. Several companies have been developing the system for FIFA, including Hawk-Eye (video broadcast) and Crescent Comms (audio), he says.
FIFA rents equipment from companies and will return it after matches, Wolfgang said. How much the equipment and its rent cost, he did not disclose. VAR for one stadium costs an average of $ 1.2 million, annual maintenance of equipment – about $ 100,000, Kulakov said.
Is VAR worth the money?
FIFA has long abandoned the introduction of VAR.
Before than to go to the introduction of a goal-fixing system (first used in Brazil), and then VAR, FIFA and UEFA tried to increase the composition of the refereeing panel to five, but it was not effective, recalls Kulakov. Many believe that VAR slows down the game, strips it out of integrity, breaks it down into episodes, he continues. Others (for example, one of the former FIFA presidents – Joao Havelange) note that refereeing errors are an integral part of the game and football history.
VAR will not exclude judicial errors, but can significantly reduce them, this is its main advantage, Kulakov said. In the end, everyone will get used to VAR, as they are accustomed to other changes, the expert is sure.
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