VAR breaks World Cup rules during France vs Spain to leave fans absolutely baffled | Football | Sport
World Cup fans were left gobsmacked during Spain vs France when the referee appeared to overturn a free-kick decision using VAR. The incident occurred during the first half of Tuesday’s semi-final, and if true, meant the referee broke FIFA’s own rules regarding when VAR can be used.
Fabian Ruiz had been adjudged to have fouled Ousmane Dembele on the edge of the box just before the half-time break. Ruiz was apoplectic that referee Ivan Barton gave the free-kick in favour of his Paris Saint-Germain team-mate, and was quick to protest the decision.
Understandably, fans were left scratching their head, with @chemberleen writing on X: “I don’t even know the rule of the game anymore. When did VAR start interfering in Freekicks outside the box?”
@nathanwooljourn wrote: “Is that not weird to anyone else. I agree it wasn’t a foul but VAR intervening on a random foul when that hasn’t been done before. Are they just making new rules up as they go now??”
@joedee0_ said: “How’s Var done that if it’s not a rule?”
@lloydmogs1927 wrote: “The officiating at this World Cup has been mental. I swear VAR make the rules up as they go along too.”
@TheSteakBake remarked: “The VAR CANNOT intervene there, what the heck!? It’s a coming together, no yellow, just a subjective free kick decision. That’s not in the rules – they are just making it up now.”
@RBairner said: “FIFA are making up VAR rules as they go along with that Dembele free kick being overturned.”
It was later suggested by the BBC‘s referee expert Dale Johnson that the free-kick was cancelled at the behest of the assistant referee, and not VAR. It would make more sense, given the laws of the game prohibit any form of VAR intervention in this situation.
According to IFAB’s website, VAR can only be used when: “A video assistant referee (VAR) is a match official, with independent access to match footage, who may assist the referee only in the event of a ‘clear and obvious error’ or ‘serious missed incident’ in relation to: a. Goal/no goal, b. Penalty/no penalty, c. Red card (including a clearly incorrect second caution), d. Mistaken identity (when the referee cautions or sends off the wrong player).”
Further confusion had stemmed from the revised ‘mistaken identity rule’ that has allowed referees to intervene when a player has been booked, only for replays to show it was a dive by the opposition player. Breel Embolo was sent off against Argentina after the implementation of this rule, while Tim Ream saw a yellow card overturned earlier in the competition after it emerged there was no contact on the tackle.
