Overview
- The former FIFA referee, who officiated at two World Cups, told FAZ that the video system has failed to improve the sport’s quality or justice.
- Meier argues many officials now defer decisions to the monitor, stop fighting for optimal positioning, and sometimes avoid on-field calls altogether.
- He likens the trend to everyday technology eroding basic skills, citing reliance on smartphones and navigation systems as a parallel.
- He points to an estimated three to four VAR interventions per match and says referees should ask whether their performance has deteriorated over time.
- Recent frustration over Bundesliga reviews has renewed scrutiny of the system, while the DFB-Pokal’s VAR use only from the round of 16 underscores uneven implementation.