The video assistant referee has long since found its way into most top-class soccer competitions. Swedish professional soccer has handled it differently so far – and will continue to do so
Fredrik Reinfeldt was wrong. Around a year ago, the Swedish association president claimed that “VAR is our future”. Now he has to row back. In the interests of democracy.
He respects the majority opinion, Reinfeldt told Aftonbladet, which is against the introduction of VAR following a vote by Sweden’s 32 top clubs. 18 of the 32 clubs, which in Sweden are largely member-owned through a concept similar to the 50+1 rule, voted against.
This makes Sweden the first nation to actively oppose the introduction of the Video Assistant Referee, which has long since been introduced in most top-class soccer competitions. With the exception of Sweden, it is used everywhere in the current top 30 leagues in Europe. The VAR has been used in the Bundesliga since 2017/18 and in the Champions League since 2018/19.
No goal-line technology in Spain
“We respect this stance, which is why we no longer presented a proposal for VAR at the most recent representatives’ meeting,” explained Reinfeldt, who was Swedish Prime Minister between 2006 and 2014. The 58-year-old no longer believes that VAR is a prerequisite on the part of UEFA, as he had said a year ago, after corresponding discussions: “As I have heard, the decision lies with us. And it looks relatively clear: The clubs don’t want this technology to be introduced.”
Not all top European leagues use the same technologies. In La Liga, for example, there is no goal-line technology, which led to discussions in the recent Clasico between Real Madrid and FC Barcelona (3:2). In Sweden’s neighbor Norway, VAR was introduced last year despite some fan protests.
