IFAB directors said that all but one of the VAR decisions thus far have been correct.GETTY IMAGES
Football's lawmakers said that video referees have been "a clear success at the World Cup" but that critics "have to accept the system will not eliminate officials' mistakes entirely," according to Martyn Ziegler of the LONDON TIMES. Two directors of the Int'l FA Board said that Iran was "wrongly awarded a penalty against Portugal after a VAR review," but they believe that all other decisions have been correct and that "significant injustices have been avoided." There were 14 formal VAR reviews in the first 36 matches and although some of the subjective decisions were questioned, both IFAB board members said that the penalty decision for Iran by Paraguayan referee Enrique Cáceres on Monday is "the only one that was wrong." More criticism has been "focused on incidents where VAR has not been called upon to review an incident," such as with Harry Kane's penalty claims against Tunisia. One IFAB director said, "I think the feeling is that it has worked very well and we have already seen some incidents avoided which would have been clear injustices." The IFAB will carry out a review of the system after the World Cup and recommend any changes. One aspect "may be for VARs to take a stronger line with players deemed to have dived" -- so far, no player has been cautioned for simulation at Russia 2018. Twenty penalties were awarded in the first 36 games, two more than the previous record for an entire tournament. IFAB members believe that officials "feel more confident about awarding them because they can get decisions checked" (LONDON TIMES, 6/27).
