FIFA World Cup assistant referees have been told to keep their flag down for tight offside calls to enable VIDEO Assistant Referee System to make the correct decision.
Russia 2018 will be the first FIFA World Cup to use the video assistant referee system.
Assistant referees were told in a briefing to keep the flag down when there is a tight offside incident and there could be a very promising attack or a goal‑scoring opportunity because if the assistant referee raises the flag then everything is finished.
If the assistant referee keeps the flag down and the play goes on and maybe a goal comes at the end, there is a chance to review the goal using the technology.
FIFA had confirmed in March that VIDEO Assistant Referee System would be used in Russia, having been used in Germany and Italy and trialled in some English cup games last season.
This system is in place to check decisions on four sorts of incidents which include, goals, including 'missed' attacking offences in the build‑up, penalties awarded and not awarded, including 'missed' attacking offences in the build‑up, direct red cards and cases of mistaken identity where the wrong player is shown a red or yellow card.
The referee can accept the information relayed through the earpiece by the system, an option usually reserved for objective calls of fact, such as if a player is offside.
Replays of incidents reviewed by this system will be shown on big screens during the World Cup and the crowd will also be told when a decision is being reviewed and why a decision has been reached.
However, the replays will not be shown inside the ground while the referee is making a decision, only afterwards, so the official is not influenced by the crowd.
The FIFA World Cup kicks off this Friday with the Russia and Saudi Arabia match which starts at 3am.
Source: BBC
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