The Referees Committee of AFFA has issued a special directive to referees regarding VAR (Video Assistant Referee) interventions.
Idman.Biz, citing futbolxeber.az, referees have been instructed that whenever a VAR signal is triggered, they must approach the monitor and review the incident.
Previously, under the rules, the main referee had the right to decline a VAR intervention. Last season, there were reports, especially involving Aliyar Agayev, that he did not always respond to VAR calls. It was noted that the FIFA referee sometimes ignored VAR signals, demonstrating confidence in his on-field decisions.
However, this season, no referee, including Agayev, has such discretion. The Referees Committee’s strict instruction is clear: if VAR signals, the referee must review the incident on the monitor. This essentially means that in 99.9% of cases, the referee’s original decision will change.
As a result, the outcome of Azerbaijani Premier League matches is increasingly determined not by the referees on the field but by those operating VAR.
