Not only does the VAR technology and the interpretation of the result create a high temperature among players, coaches and supporters, when a VAR referee is caught checking odds on a betting site, while making a VAR decision that can affect the outcome of the match, it goes far beyond the limit the football world can accept. That was not accepted either.
This happened in Bulgaria during the city derby between CSKA Sofia and Lokomotiv Sofia. On live TV, a VAR referee was observed with his own phone, inside what is supposed to have been a betting site. When the photos were shared on social media after the game, there were strong reactions.
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The company in charge of the Bulgarian VAR system quickly issued an apology in an open letter, according to De Telegraaf:
“We apologize for an incident involving one of the VAR referees during the Parva Liga match between CSKA Sofia and Lokomotiv Sofia. Live footage of the situation showed that the person was using a personal smartphone during the match and was involved in inappropriate activities, which should be taken seriously in relation to the responsibility for the role assigned to him.
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The VAR referee is unsurprisingly suspended.
