The new semi-automated offside technology has been all over social media in the past few days as fans and pundits alike discuss how this could affect how matches are played, officiated and enjoyed by the fans around the world.
SAOT boasts to improve the effectiveness of VAR when it comes to offside decisions as it uses AI to track the players constantly and flag a possible offside to the officials in the VAR box. Additionally SAOT has been said to improve the enjoyment of fans in stadium as it will broadcast much more information around the stadium so you will know everything that is being discussed. The aim of this is to reduce the panic, distress and confusion around the stadium when play is called to a halt if VAR are checking a decision.
SAOT will essentially have four steps which will be followed if we are going to see it be as effective as many are saying. Firstly, the aforementioned AI is always detecting player and ball data and calculating possible offsides. Secondly, if an offside is found then an alert will go off in the VAR room so the officials can validate the offside which goes into the third step; the validation. The VAR officials must still manually check the lines and the players’ positions to see if the AI has gotten it correct and only then will the on field official be told to rectify and on field decision or that his decision was correct. This is step four: changing the on field decision.
These changes to the way we will see offsides officiated come after a long arduous season of poor officiating, especially in the realm of offsides, and many fans have called for the end of VAR as one fan said ‘’it has ruined the sport we all love’’ going on to say ‘’VAR has its benefits but its very clear that its creating a lot more issues and we should go back to square one.’’ This was a good point as grass roots football still continues to succeed without the added technology and the local leeds fans should be wary heading into next season if they do gain promotion to the premier league.
Another fan said ‘’i do think that its a good step, a necessary step, but i think its too late, no one likes VAR and i dont know if we ever will, i certainly wont’’ which only begs the question of wether or not this change, even if completely successful, will be enough to save the tarnished reputation of the Video Assisted Referee.
Dale Rosso 