World Cup fans were left baffled during Tuesday's semi-final between Spain and France after referee Ivan Barton reversed a free-kick decision, with some supporters believing VAR to have been involved. The incident occurred during the opening half in Dallas as Spain coasted to a 2-0 defeat of the French.
What Happened in the Incident?
Midfielder Fabian Ruiz was deemed to have fouled forward Ousmane Dembele on the edge of the box just before the half-time interval. Ruiz was incensed that referee Ivan Barton awarded the free-kick in favour of his Paris Saint-Germain colleague, and was swift to challenge the ruling. Some supporters on social media thought the decision was taken by VAR, who they thought intervened and overturned the decision.
Was VAR Actually Involved?
Much more likely is the BBC's referee expert Dale Johnson's suggestion that the free-kick was overruled at the request of the assistant referee, rather than VAR. This would make greater sense, given that the laws of the game bar any form of VAR involvement in such circumstances. According to IFAB's website, VAR can only be used when: 'A video assistant referee (VAR) is a match official, with independent access to match footage, who may assist the referee only in the event of a clear and obvious error or serious missed incident in relation to: a. Goal/no goal, b. Penalty/no penalty, c. Red card (including a clearly incorrect second caution), d. Mistaken identity (when the referee cautions or sends off the wrong player).'
Mistaken Identity Rule Adds to Confusion
Adding to the bewilderment of supporters was the updated 'mistaken identity rule', which has permitted referees to step in when a player has been booked, only for replays to reveal it was a dive by the opposition player. Breel Embolo was dismissed against Argentina following the introduction of this rule, while Tim Ream had a yellow card rescinded earlier in the tournament after it became apparent there had been no contact on the tackle.
