VAR is set to go live in Scottish football with the confirmation that the system is ready to be rolled out ahead of the initial schedule for Premiership games later this month.
A communication has been released by the SPFL setting out the various details involved with the Hibs v St Johnstone game on 21st October set to raise the curtain on a new era.
🚨VAR will go live in the Scottish Premiership next week with Hibs vs St Johnstone the first match to use the technology. pic.twitter.com/qKzws6BPf1
— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) October 12, 2022
There will be pros and cons to the Video Assistant Referee technology which is not infallible and a lot of the responsibility will fall on the human interaction and interpretation behind it.
It is clear that referees in Scotland needs more help, in the absence of a full time model for the profession but hopefully this can be a step forward, although one that will not eliminate controversy entirely.
Confirmation has been provided that production on all Premiership fixtures will increase to a minimum of six cameras bringing greater clarity as well the crucial information that VAR will:
“assist on-field referees in the event of a clear and obvious error or a serious missed incident in relation to the following criteria, straight red cards, penalty area incidents, goals, mistaken identity.”
Scottish football’s VAR era will begin at Easter Road later this month for Hibernian v St. Johnstone on October 21st, with the cinch Premiership introducing the technology in all 12 stadia ahead of schedule.
Full details 👇
— SPFL (@spfl) October 12, 2022
At Ibrox, the element of intrigue has already been removed with VAR having been deployed in Europa League games since last season with several goal, penalty and red card incidents coming under the microscope in that time.
Will it be perfect, no. Will it improve things? That is a subjective call but there has to be a benefit to the game and an increase in correct decisions being made.
There will be a loss of real time emotion sometimes which is to be lamented but there are also high stakes at play in terms of the Scottish title race and decisions by officials that really matter. In those circumstances, VAR has to be developed into a force for good.
Time will tell on the outcome.