Vietnamese referees are determined to master VAR technology.

When the V-League takes a break, it's time for referees to pack their bags and head off to "re-learn." Everyone understands how important VAR is at this point.

Video assistant referee (VAR) technology is a turning point for world football and is expected to bring about a revolutionary change to Vietnamese football. However, the process of bringing VAR equipment to Vietnam, and especially the training of referees to operate VAR, is the decisive factor in the adoption of this technology in Vietnam.

VAR is expected to be implemented in Vietnam from the end of 2023.

Any form of online teaching or handling work during "office hours" is impossible for referees. They bury themselves in equipment, books, and new knowledge from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM.

In fact, the training process on VAR lasted from the end of 2022. Referees received thorough theoretical training. The first training session on VAR operation was held in February 2023. However, the simulations were at the simplest level. Furthermore, all activities took place in a lab.

Mid-April marked the second training session on operating VAR technology. The difficulty level for referees was increased. Longer situations and difficult-to-judge errors lasting 3-5 minutes appeared randomly during matches.

On June 8th, Vietnamese referees officially began operating VAR with full equipment and in simulated real-life situations on the pitch. The first VAR referee team to practice in Vietnam is Mr. Hoang Ngoc Ha, with assistants Mr. Nguyen Trung Hau and Mr. Pham Hoai Tam.

Vietnamese referees are attending VAR training.

Let's do a simple calculation of the referees' time constraints. Shortly after the end of the 2022 V-League season, a training course on the theory of VAR technology operation was held. After the first four rounds of the 2023 V-League season, the first operational training course was organized. The schedules for the second and third courses were allocated during the V-League's breaks.

We had the opportunity to attend a VAR training session organized by the Refereeing Committee of the Vietnam Football Federation, supervised and guided by the technical team of the World Football Federation. The VFF Executive Committee meeting room became a mobile VAR testing ground. Here, referees experienced a 90-minute match with completely random content. They had to apply the theory they had learned to determine situations requiring the application of VAR.

Under the direction and guidance of Deputy Head of the Refereeing Committee Vo Quang Vinh and Commissioner Vo Minh Tri, the referees and assistant referees focused absolutely on each play. Throughout the two-hour training session, I remained almost completely silent, despite being a naturally outgoing person. Even a well-known and usually cheerful referee like Mr. Nguyen Manh Hai showed a hint of tension on his face.

"It has to be tough, it has to be intense, because if it were easy, anyone could do it. We've seen international referees take several minutes to draw the offside line in a situation, and it's the same here. That's the hardest part. As for the other things, of course, the referees will have to get used to them gradually," commented former assistant referee Pham Manh Long.

Nearly two months later, under the scorching sun of Northern Vietnam, the first outdoor VAR (Video Assistant Referee) operation was held. Equipment such as image display screens, individual walkie-talkies, and a mobile VAR vehicle were all put into use. 18 referees were divided into 4 teams and took turns operating VAR based on the events of a simulated match performed by the Hanoi U17 players. Less than 5 minutes into the game, those present could easily see that referee Hoang Ngoc Ha's shirt was soaked with sweat.

The introduction of VAR is a major step forward for Vietnamese football.

First-time referee Hoang Ngoc Ha always faces difficulties and obstacles in ways that often make people laugh. For the first 10 minutes, Mr. Ha easily made decisions regarding fouls, offside calls, and issuing yellow or red cards quickly and accurately. If the main referee had done correctly, VAR would not have intervened.

Of course, good refereeing decisions are what everyone expects. But within the scope of a VAR training session, referees need more than that. Mr. Nguyen Minh Ngoc - General Director of VPF - joked: "If referees continue to officiate like this in real matches, VAR will be out of work. And that would be great, everything has to be as fair as possible."

After more than a week of training, the referees will enter the most crucial phase: officiating a real 90-minute match. This is considered the most important test for the referees. Only after being recognized by FIFA can referees use VAR, and only then will VAR technology be applied in the V-League.

Buying VAR equipment only requires money, but operating VAR requires human resources. All referees, VPF, and VFF are striving to implement VAR as quickly as possible, aiming for a significant transformation in Vietnamese professional football leagues.

The Son

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