VAR involved in controversial PSG penalty dropped by UEFA – report

In a surprising turn of events, UEFA has opted to replace the video assistant referee (VAR) responsible for advising the on-field referee to award a penalty to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) against Newcastle United. The decision, which directly contradicted UEFA’s own handball guidelines for referees. This has sparked debates and raised eyebrows within the football community.

The decision led to PSG forward Kylian Mbappé converting a penalty in the eight minute of extra time to give his side a lifeline.

VAR sidelined

The VAR in question, Tomasz Kwiatkowski, found himself sidelined for Wednesday’s highly anticipated Champions League match between Real Sociedad and RB Salzburg. This was reported by The Times’ Marty z Ziegler. This move follows a contentious handball decision involving Newcastle’s Tino Livramento, prompting UEFA to take swift action.

Despite the decision to replace Kwiatkowski, UEFA has remained tight-lipped about the rationale behind the change. However, it is widely speculated that the handball call diverged from UEFA’s advice to match officials at the beginning of the season. Notably, UEFA adheres to a policy of not publicly discussing on-field incidents, leaving fans and pundits to dissect the implications of this sudden alteration.

Pair involved in recent memory

Adding an intriguing layer to the controversy, it was revealed that the referee, Marciniak, and VAR Kwiatkowski, who collaborated in awarding the penalty to PSG in the final minutes, were the same duo officiating the 2022 World Cup final. This revelation only intensifies the scrutiny surrounding the decision. It also raises questions about consistency in officiating at the highest levels of the sport.

The backdrop of this controversy includes UEFA’s football board, chaired by Zvonimir Boban, asserting in April. He said that handballs resulting from deflections should not be awarded in European competitions. A statement from the board emphasized the need for better compliance of the Laws of the Game with the dynamic nature of football. The statement reads, “With regard to the Laws of the Game, which stipulate that not every touch of a player’s hand/arm with the ball is an offence. The board issued recommendations for next season for better compliance of the Laws with the nature of the game.”

However, the intricacies of the present laws of the game allow a handball resulting from an unintentional deflection to be penalized. This is so if the defender’s arm is judged to be in an unnatural position. The discrepancy between guidelines and practical application continues to be a point of contention within the football community. This prompts calls for a more consistent and transparent approach to officiating.

As football enthusiasts await further developments, the decision to replace Kwiatkowski serves as a reminder of the ongoing challenges. The main challenge is in implementing VAR technology and maintaining consistency in interpreting the Laws of the Game. The incident adds another chapter to the ever-evolving narrative of football officiating. Not withstanding that is leaves fans, players, and officials alike pondering the delicate balance between technology and the human element in the beautiful game.