April 15 – The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) has announced that it will rely on foreign video assistant referees for the most important Super Lig matches until the end of the season.
TFF indicated that they have reached an agreement with UEFA and five leading leagues in Europe for a mutual partnership.
As a result of the negotiations, foreign Video Assistant Referees (VAR) will be assigned to the critical Trendyol Super Lig matches from Matchday 32 until the end of the season.
Video Assistant Referee (VAR) will be supplied by the football federations in Italy, Spain, Germany, Netherlands and Portugal.
The communication language will be Turkish and English. Therefore; AVAR, AVAR 2 and VAR Support who can communicate in English will serve alongside Video Assistant Referee (VAR).
“The matches for whom foreign Video Assistant Referees (VAR) will be appointed in Matchday 32 of Trendyol Super League are as follows: Ankaragücü – Gaziantep Football Club, VavaCars Fatih Karagümrük – Fenerbahçe, Alanyaspor – Galatasaray,” said the TFF said in a statement.
In 2021 a bitter row broke out between Fenerbahce and the league over what the club felt were VAR decisions that deliberately cost them matches. The club blamed camera angles provided by broadcaster beIN Sport who supported the VAR system.
The dispute was taken further by club president Ali Koc and Fenerbahce fans who ran a campaign against the broadcaster under the ‘beFAIR’ messaging banner with on pitchside digital advertising boards, T-shirts and tracksuits, and preventing beIN Sport with media access to certain club events like the signing of Mesut Ozil.
Contact the writer of this story, Aleksander Krassimirov, at moc.l1732299246labto1732299246ofdlr1732299246owedi1732299246sni@o1732299246fni1732299246