Liverpool Concerned About VAR Error Impact on Sport Integrity

 Liverpool Concerned About VAR Error Impact on Sport Integrity

Liverpool Concerned About VAR Error Impact on Sport Integrity(Image-Getty)

Liverpool has voiced its discontent over a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) error that led to the disallowance of a goal by Luis Diaz during their 2-1 defeat against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday, emphasizing that it compromised the integrity of the sport.

In the game, a nine-man Liverpool side ultimately lost when Joel Matip scored an own goal in stoppage time. However, the controversy arose earlier when Luis Diaz's goal, which should have given Liverpool the lead in the first half, was ruled out for offside.

VAR failed to correct this incorrect decision, prompting the referees' body, PGMOL, to issue a statement attributing the mistake to "significant human error" in the Premier League match.

Liverpool responded with a statement on Sunday, expressing their dissatisfaction with the situation. They stated, "It is clear that the rules of the game were not applied correctly, which undermined sporting integrity. It is therefore unsatisfactory that sufficient time was not given to allow the correct decision to be made and that there was no subsequent intervention."

PGMOL admitted that disallowing Diaz's goal was a "clear and obvious factual error" that should have been corrected through VAR intervention. They also announced their intention to conduct a comprehensive review of the circumstances surrounding the error.

Liverpool's statement continued, emphasizing the need for transparency in assessing such errors and making improvements to prevent their recurrence. They acknowledged the pressures on referees but stressed that VAR technology should alleviate, not exacerbate, these challenges. Liverpool stated their intention to explore available options for resolution.

In response to the error, VAR officials Darren England and Dan Cook were replaced for their subsequent matches in the Nottingham Forest-Brentford and Fulham-Chelsea games, respectively.