Premier League VAR rule changes introduced for 2020-21 season

After a controversy-laden debut last time out, it was announced that that the Premier League has agreed to continue with VAR next season. The 2019-20 season was the first time the Premier League adopted VAR, with the technology providing mixed results. The VAR rule change will see the Video Assistant Referee guidelines for the 2020-21 season run in tandem with FIFA protocol. Here is how the new VAR rules will affect the Premier League.

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More usage of pitch-side monitors

Many viewers and pundits expressed their surprise at Premier League referees not using pitchside monitors more frequently last season. However, the new VAR rules are set to change that. Under the Premier League rules for 2020-21, referees will be encouraged to use the pitchside VAR screens. The monitors, or the Referee Review Area (RRA), will see officials refer to it for making decisions on goals, red cards and penalties.

Premier League rules on goalkeeper and player encroachment altered as well

The new Premier League rules will also see officials be stricter when it comes to goalkeeper encroachment during penalties. The VAR rule change will order a penalty to be retaken if the goalkeeper’s foot is off the line and the spot-kick is saved. However, if a player misses his penalty or it hits the post, VAR rules will not order a retake even if the goalkeeper is found to be off his line.

As far as player encroachment is concerned, a player can now only be deemed as encroaching during a spot-kick if they have a direct impact on the ball. This includes instances wherein a player clears the ball or taps in a rebound. Encroachment will be judged only when the player’s foot is on or in the penalty area, or the arc line at the edge of the box.

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Offside flag to be kept down

In another change to the Premier League rules, assistant referees will be asked to keep their flag down while a goal-scoring opportunity is in play. After the passage of play is over, the linesman will be allowed to raise his flag if he deems the player to be offside. If during the run of play a goal is scored, VAR‘s Stockley Park base will take the final call on the goal. 

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Premier League VAR offside clarification

The official statement by the Premier League indicated that the offside protocol does not allow for any tolerance levels. While this isn’t necessarily a rule change on how offsides are called, it is a clarification indicating that any ball-playing part of the body ahead of the line of the last defender will be deemed as offside. However, The Mirror report that unlike the Premier League rules last season, the lines drawn to determine the last line will now not be seen in real-time in a TV broadcast.

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Image Courtesy: AP