THE head of Australia’s A-League is hoping international soccer authorities will allow video-assisted referee (VAR) decisions to be shown on television broadcasts and on stadium video boards so that the often contentious calls don’t seem like a “silent movie.”

Greg O’Rourke said the A-League is working with Germany’s Bundesliga and Major League Soccer in the U.S. to push for communication of the VAR process in stadiums.

“American sport and Australian sport have been used to, for many years, the referees being able to talk in-stadia,” O’Rourke said yesterday. He said existing protocols “don’t allow currently the VAR to talk in-stadia or even to the commentators, it’s a bit of a silent movie. Then what happens ... is the fan is left to try and interpret why — they’re just left to their own devices.”

The International Football Association Board, which includes four FIFA members, formulates the laws and protocols, including future developments of the VAR.

(SD-Agencies)