"
Var Syndrome. It suddenly destabilizes people's minds and reduces them to
a violent mob. People grew to fear these tragic events, which could happen
anywhere and anytime. However, amongst the fear, some rose up valiantly to
fight back." --
Macross Delta,
Episode 1,
Prologue.
Who would have thought that one of the coolest Japanese anime (with great transforming mecha action and awesome songs by
Walküre (listen!)) would have a reference so appropriate for what the Women's World Cup (WWC) is experiencing. In the show, Vár Syndrome is a fold bacteria that affects the host at a cellular level usually causing the host to be uncontrollable and becoming super powerful, overriding common sense. In the WWC, VAR Syndrome is a video assistant review process that affects matches at a minute level usually causing the matches to be uncontrollable and becoming super powerful, overriding common sense. In both of these interpretations, VAR has taken a life of its own once allowed to germinate. And in both of these interpretations, people start to fight back and take away the power of the VAR, starting with all the critics of VAR or the English Premier League
neutering VAR by modifying when it will get used.
In 44 matches thus far, depending on how you count a "VAR review", I list 38 stoppages of play have happened because either VAR has contacted the referee or the referee has asked VAR to review a play. I've heard on FOX 33 VAR reviews after ESPvUSA (I had 36) and 17 from
FIFA press release after group stage (I had 23). The FIFA app lists 30 specifically called out via VAR icon (18 after group stage). Today's presser talked
about 29 (25 being reversed). Most of these last 1-3 minutes with some taking more than 8 minutes from infraction to the finish (e.g., PK scored). This has resulted in 5-8 minutes of stoppage time in some matches. By my count, at least 21 of the 44 matches had no real VAR review (maybe a VAR "check" but not a long stoppage of play) but boy, the ones that did...
Posts
