![Pinterest](https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://uknews.evprotec.com/why-the-liverpool-fiasco-shows-that-var-has-no-place-in-the-womens-super-league/&media=https://uknews.evprotec.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/0_MAIN-Chelsea-FC-v-Tottenham-Hotspur-Barclays-Womens-Super-League.jpg&description=So much of the talk around officiating in the WSL is 'when' VAR is going to be brought in across the league - but the question should instead be 'if' our women's game needs the hassle Remember when one of the big concerns among football fans when it came to technology was that without controversial decisions we'd have nothing left to talk about? That is laughable when you look at the reaction to the weekend's football. In the Premier League, Liverpool were denied a perfectly good goal against Spurs when VAR incorrectly failed to intervene after Luis Diaz was deemed offside. Diaz was clearly onside. The game restarted with a free-kick rather than kick-off. Spurs went onto win 2-1, while Liverpool later issued a public statement claiming that "sporting integrity has been undermined." It is one of the highest profile errors since VAR came into the Premier League in 2019. However, it isn't the first and won't be the last. With thousands of games in the back catalogue across various tournaments, the technology continues to make football worse, not better. You'd think after the worst PR day imaginable for VAR that any competition not using the tech would count their lucky stars. But the following day in the WSL, officiating was still a hot topic. Emma Hayes called the lack of VAR 'ludicrous' after Guro Reiten's effort against Spurs was deemed not to have crossed the goalline, replays showing it looked to have done so. For balance, the Chelsea manager did add that she "probably shouldn't say that after Liverpool-Tottenham yesterday,' while Lauren James scored only seconds later meaning controversy was kept to a minimum. Elsewhere, Aston Villa manager Carla Ward stated the need for full-time referees after Kristy Hanson was sent off for a tackle on Hayley Ladd. Ward also felt aggrieved that Maya Le Tissier should have walked for a foul on Ebony Salmon. Incidents like these will inevitably prompt those in and around the women's game to suggest that VAR is needed in the WSL.){kind=link}
So much of the talk around officiating in the WSL is ‘when’ VAR is going to be brought in across the league – but the question should instead be ‘if’ our women’s game needs the hassle
Remember when one of the big concerns among football fans when it came to technology was that without controversial decisions we’d have nothing left to talk about?
That is laughable when you look at the reaction to the weekend’s football. In the Premier League, Liverpool were denied a perfectly good goal against Spurs when VAR incorrectly failed to intervene after Luis Diaz was deemed offside.
Diaz was clearly onside. The game restarted with a free-kick rather than kick-off. Spurs went onto win 2-1, while Liverpool later issued a public statement claiming that “sporting integrity has been undermined.”
It is one of the highest profile errors since VAR came into the Premier League in 2019. However, it isn’t the first and won’t be the last. With thousands of games in the back catalogue across various tournaments, the technology continues to make football worse, not better.