FIFA's Gianni Infantino doesn't think England's row with Russian President Vladimir Putin will impact this summer's World Cup.getty images
The video assistant referee system "will be introduced at the World Cup in Russia this summer" after FIFA execs voted unanimously for its introduction, according to Martyn Ziegler of the LONDON TIMES. The technology was approved by football’s lawmakers this month and "despite some opposition it will have its official unveiling at the World Cup." FIFA President Gianni Infantino said, "We are going to have in 2018, for the first time, a World Cup with VAR. We took our decision and no one was against it." Infantino dismissed concerns that the "political dispute between England and Russia could disrupt the tournament." Some British MPs have called for "pressure to be put on" FIFA to move the World Cup to another country. Infantino: "No, we are not worried at all. We are here to organize a football tournament, we are here to organize the most important football and social event in the world. ... Political issues we leave to the politicians" (LONDON TIMES, 3/17). REUTERS' Brian Homewood reported the system allows the referee or the video assistant to review decisions where a “clear and obvious” error is spotted. It has been trialed in Germany’s Bundesliga and Italy’s Serie A this season and some English FA and League Cup games, among others. Infantino said that VAR had been "shown to reduce the number of refereeing mistakes" in matches where it has been used and would help football become "a fairer and more transparent sport." He added, "It's not possible that, in 2018, everyone in the stadium and their living room knows if a referee has made a big mistake or not, and the only one who doesn't know is the referee" (REUTERS, 3/16).
