Wolverhampton Wanderers chairman Jeff Shi has warned that the Premier League is at risk of being damaged forever if teams vote against his club's motion to scrap the use of Video Assistant Referees (VAR).
Wolves' motion was announced on Wednesday, with the club arguing VAR should be removed from the league from the 2024-25 season onwards. It comes after a number of high-profile errors from the officials using the technology this season, with Wolves manager Gary O'Neil saying he received an apology from Jon Moss, the referees' officer for the PGMOL at the time.
Some managers have already spoken about the proposals. Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino has called for "improving the way we use" VAR, while Manchester United's Erik ten Hag and Newcastle's Eddie Howe have also suggested the technology is likely here to stay.
A crucial vote is set to take place in early June, with the support of 14 of the 20 clubs in the Premier League needed of Wolves' motion is to carry. And, writing in The Telegraph, Shi has issued a warning to his counterparts elsewhere in the competition.
"The Premier League’s match attending fans are becoming increasingly disengaged due to the negative impact of VAR on our match experience, which is also leading to apathy and hostility in the stands and on social media, negative and damaging rhetoric from pundits, players and managers and a destructive erosion of trust in football’s authorities and officials," Shi writes. "All of this is detrimental to the Premier League’s brand and reputation, and if we don’t halt it now, the damage may become irrevocable."
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He said the current iteration of VAR in English football "isn’t compatible with a sport of highly subjective laws" and risked worsening the Premie League's standing without further intervention "We should act now to remove it and regain the essence of what makes the Premier League and English football such a captivating phenomenon," he added.
He recognised the unanimous vote which saw VAR introduced, but denied a reversal would be an "admission of failure" and urged clubs chiefs to listen to fans when casting their votes on VAR's removal. He urged clubs to "act decisively" and argued support for the motion introduced by his club could help protect the "passion, spontaneity, and authenticity" of the Premier League.
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Wolves have been on the wrong end of a number of VAR controversies this season (PA)According to a VAR table compiled by ESPN, Wolves are the Premier League team who have been the most adversely impacted by the use of the technology. The table looks at the decisions oveturned by VAR and the impact of those calls on points tallies, with the Molineux side down six points based on overturned calls.
“The Premier League can confirm it will facilitate a discussion on VAR with our clubs at the annual general meeting next month," a Premier League spokesman said after Wolves' initial motion was tabled.
“Clubs are entitled to put forward proposals at shareholders’ meetings and we acknowledge the concerns and issues around the use of VAR. However, the league fully supports the use of VAR and remains committed, alongside PGMOL, to make continued improvements to the system for the benefit of the game and fans.”
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