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Daily Record
Daily Record
Sport
Mark Pirie

Everything about VAR vote you need to know as SPFL clubs go to the polls

It's been the hot topic in Scottish football this season, and clubs are finally preparing to go the polls to debate VAR.

The video assistant referee has been widely implement in leagues, domestic cups and competitions across the globe.

We've become accustomed to seeing the technology in action during Champions League and Europa League clashes, as well as at Euro 2020 and during Scotland' s World Cup qualifiers.

Serie A, the English Premier League, La Liga and the Bundelsiga are among the domestic divisions well versed in the format.

Now SPFL clubs will have their say on if the Scottish Premiership should be added to this list.

Record Sport gives you all the information you need to know ahead of the vote.

When will the vote take place?

All 42 SPFL clubs will vote on the proposal on Tuesday, April 19.

What will the vote take to be passed?

The resolution requires 75 per cent of Premiership clubs, 75 cent of clubs in the Championship and 75 cent of League One and League Two clubs combined to vote in favour. It would, however, be introduced only in the top flight.

How will VAR work in Scottish football?

If VAR is given the green light, the SFA will implement the system used across the globe and implemented by FIFA.

Officials will not be able to check if they have reached the right decision during a game.

However, the video assistant will flag up if a referee or official has made an obvious error or missed a serious incident.

VAR will not intervene to ensure a player is booked for a tackle, or to award a foul and a free-kick.

Under FIFA guidelines, there are seven areas that VAR can become involved in.

  • To assist in penalty box decisions, a penalty kick or possible penalty kick offences.
  • To assist in goals scored. This includes all goals scored and the build up to the goal being scored.
  • For straight red card offences, such as violent conduct and the denial of an obvious goal scoring opportunity.
  • For serious misapplications of the laws, for example, a goal being scored direct from a dropped ball or throw in.
  • For cases of mistaken identity.
  • When a penalty is taken, including encroachment on a player or a goalkeeper moving off their line. For serious, missed incidents in matches.

Who will be controlling the VAR system?

The man behind the camera taking on the role as a video assistant referee will be current or recently retired Category 1 officials.

They will have six manned cameras in each game.

How much will it cost?

Premiership sides will pay for the system. However, their financial contribution looks set to be based on league position.

The team that tops the table this season will be issued with biggest bill – paying 16.29 per cent of the total cost.

Second place will be required to fork out 11.67 per cent of the costs.

The pay scale drops as you travel down the league table with this seasons 12th place club paying much less than half than the champions.

That means as it stands Dundee would be contributing 5.63 per cent of the total costs.

Final financial figures are to be sent to clubs ahead of the vote.

When could VAR be introduced in Scottish football?

A number of VAR trials have already taken place at under-age matches as the SFA prepare for the introduction.

Despite the work already being underway to prepare our officials for the system, VAR would be used for the first time during midway through the 2022-23 campaign.

It will be rolled out and used during Scottish domestic top flight games for the first time after December's World Cup finals in Qatar.

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