Vietnamese referees determined to master VAR technology

When the V-League is on hiatus, it is also the time for referees to pack up and go to school. Everyone understands how important VAR is at the moment.

Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology is a turning point for world football and is expected to create a breakthrough change in Vietnamese football. However, the process of bringing VAR equipment to Vietnam and especially the training of referees to operate VAR is the decisive step in applying this technology in Vietnam.

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

Any form of online teaching or “office hours” work is impossible for referees. They are buried in equipment, books and new knowledge from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm.

In fact, the training and education process on VAR lasts from the end of 2022. Referees are thoroughly trained in theory. In February 2023, the first training session on VAR operation is organized. However, the level of simulation of situations is at the simplest level. Moreover, all activities take place in the LAB room.

Mid-April is the second training session on VAR technology operation. The difficulty for referees is increased. Long situations, errors that are difficult to identify within 3-5 minutes appear randomly in matches.

On June 8, Vietnamese referees were officially allowed to operate VAR with full equipment and in simulated situations on the field. The first VAR referee team to practice in Vietnam was Mr. Hoang Ngoc Ha, with assistants Mr. Nguyen Trung Hau and Mr. Pham Hoai Tam.

Let's do a simple calculation of the referees' time budget. Not long after the V-League 2022 ended, a training course on VAR technology operation theory was held. After the first 4 rounds of V-League 2023, the first operation class was held. The schedule of the second and third sessions are all allocated to the V-League breaks.

We had access to a VAR training session organized by the Vietnam Football Federation Refereeing Board under the supervision and guidance of the World Football Federation technical team. The VFF Executive Board meeting room became a mobile VAR room. Here, the referees experienced a 90-minute match with completely random content. They had to apply the theory they had learned to determine situations that required VAR application.

Under the direction and guidance of the Vice-Chairman of the Referee Board, Vo Quang Vinh, and Commissioner Vo Minh Tri, the referees and assistant referees focused completely on each ball. During the 2 hours of the session, the writer remained almost completely silent, despite being an enthusiastic person. Even a famous “king in black” who often smiled, like Mr. Nguyen Manh Hai, showed some tension on his face.

“It must be tense, because anyone can do it easily. For a long time, we have seen international referees draw an offside line in a situation that takes several minutes, and it is the same here. That is the most difficult part. As for the other things, of course, the referees will have to get used to it gradually” - Former assistant referee Pham Manh Long commented.

Nearly 2 months later, under the scorching sun of the North, the first VAR technology operation session at an outdoor stadium was held. Equipment such as image screens, private walkie-talkies, mobile VAR vehicles, etc. were all put into use. 18 referees were divided into 4 groups and took turns operating VAR based on the developments of a match simulated by the Hanoi U17 players. In less than 5 minutes, those present on the field could easily see Mr. Hoang Ngoc Ha's sweat-soaked shirt.

The appearance of VAR is a big step forward for Vietnamese football.

The first time always brings difficulties and obstacles to referee Hoang Ngoc Ha in a way that makes many people laugh. During the first 10 minutes, Mr. Ha always easily made decisions about penalties, offside calls or yellow and red card situations very quickly and accurately. If the main referee does it right, in principle, VAR will not intervene.

Of course, good referee decisions are what everyone expects. But within the scope of the VAR training session, referees need more than that. Mr. Nguyen Minh Ngoc - General Director of VPF - joked: "If referees keep making decisions like this, when there is a real match, VAR will have no work to do. And that's fun, everything must be the most fair."

After more than a week of training, the referees will enter the most important stage of officiating a real match lasting 90 minutes. This is considered the most important test for referees. Only when recognized by FIFA can referees use VAR, and VAR technology will be applied in the V-League.

Buying VAR equipment only requires money, but operating VAR requires the human factor. All referees, VPF and VFF are making efforts to put VAR into practice as quickly as possible, aiming for an important change for Vietnam's professional football tournaments.

The Son

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