Psychology at the screen: Investigating the current VAR protocol

Area of Science:

• Sports Science
• Psychology
• Football Analytics

Background:

• The Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system aims to improve officiating accuracy in football.
• Understanding the psychological factors influencing referee and VAR decisions is crucial for protocol optimization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the psychological processes behind Video Assistant Referee (VAR) protocol decisions.
• To calculate the prevalence of decision overturns/maintains at the pitch-side monitor.
• To assess the influence of external factors on referee and VAR decisions.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 1520 English Premier League matches across 2021/22-2024/25 seasons.
• Review of 250 instances where referees consulted the pitch-side monitor.
• Binary Logistic Regression to determine predictors of decision outcomes.

Main Results:

• Referees overturned their original decisions in 95% of pitch-side monitor reviews.
• External factors did not significantly predict referee overturns or VAR interventions.
• Home team decisions were more likely to be maintained, suggesting potential proximity bias.

Conclusions:

• The high overturn rate aligns with the VAR protocol's intent to correct errors.
• External factors appear to have minimal impact on VAR-influenced decisions.
• Proximity bias may play a role in maintaining decisions, particularly for home teams.