The Video Assistant Referee is a highly-trained match official who is watching the game away from the pitch, safely shut away in a room casting an eagle eye over every piece of play.
When trialed by the Bundesliga, VARs were based externally in Cologne, as opposed to inside the match-day stadium. They communicate with the referee on the field of play via a two-way radio.
The referee must consult VAR. Only then does the process of analysis of an incident begin. The VAR cannot simply review anything it wants during the match.
The referee draws the outline of a TV screen in the air so everybody knows what’s going on and that VAR is set to be used.
They then wait to be told what to do, which sometimes includes going to review a decision themselves on an off-pitch monitor.
With anything new, there will be the expected trials and tribulations, causing some controversy. It will take a bit of time for all football fans to accept it as something needed in football. In other sports like rugby, cricket, ice hockey, and NFL football, VAR has been a huge success. No doubt in my mind it will be successful in football as well.
At least now with VAR, the correct team will win the game instead of the team that dives and/or cheats the most. I hate it when the team that cheats the most wins the game. It’s just wrong on all facets and has gone on for way too long!
In my opinion, VAR should have been implemented years ago. It’s about time FIFA!