The Premier League has taken swift action following the controversial VAR decision during the Tottenham Hotspur vs. Liverpool match.
Both VAR officials involved in the erroneous offside call against Luis Diaz have been removed from duty for the upcoming Nottingham Forest vs. Brentford and Fulham vs. Chelsea fixtures.
In the spotlight was 26-year-old winger Luis Diaz, who believed he had given Liverpool the lead with a brilliant goal.
However, the linesman raised the flag for offside, prematurely halting his celebration. Replays clearly showed that Diaz was onside, thanks to Micky van de Ven’s defensive position, but the incorrect call persisted.
The Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) issued a statement acknowledging the “significant human error” that led to the disallowed goal.
They admitted that VAR should have intervened to correct the mistake, but it failed to do so.
PGMOL promised a comprehensive review of the incident and pledged to contact Liverpool to acknowledge the error.
The shocking revelation behind the scenes was made by ESPN journalist Dale Johnson, who disclosed the sequence of events during the VAR review.
According to Johnson, VAR official Darren England initially believed the on-field decision was a “goal” and quickly checked for offside.
Since it was evident that Diaz was onside, England told the referee, “check complete,” affirming the correctness of the on-field decision.
The root of the “human error” was the VAR team’s misunderstanding of the on-field decision, not a failure to use technology effectively.
This mishap led to a crucial goal being disallowed, and once the free-kick for the offside was taken, the decision could not be overturned.
The consequences of this blunder reverberated throughout the football world.
In response to this incident, the Premier League acted swiftly by sidelining VAR officials Darren England and Dan Cook for the Nottingham Forest vs. Brentford and Fulham vs. Chelsea matches.
The decision reflects the league’s commitment to accountability and the importance of upholding the integrity of the game.
Fans and stakeholders alike will be watching closely to ensure such errors are minimized in future matches.
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