Sweden’s top leagues will remain the only one out of Europe’s top thirty not to implement Video Assistant Referee (VAR) after clubs rebuffed the idea of introducing the technology into the game.
VAR has consistently courted controversy in every league it has been introduced with concerns ranging from lengthy analysis of close calls to delays lasting several minutes.
Chairman of the the Swedish Professional Football Leagues, Fredrik Reinfeldt said a vast majority of the clubs in the top two divisions “actively opposed” the introduction of VAR.
“If I counted correctly, we have 18 elite clubs and two districts that have said they do not want to introduce VAR,” Reinfeldt told journalists.
“We respect that. That’s why we didn’t bring forward any proposal about VAR to the previous board of representatives meeting and I don’t foresee it in the future either. I stand by respecting the democratic rules of the game.”
Reinfeldt, who previously said VAR was “the future,” has been criticised by fans for his stand on the issue.
“I don’t think so now, from what I’ve heard, so then it is up to us to make the decision,” he added.