The coach of the Vasco da Gama club in Rio de Janeiro, Argentinian Ramon Diaz, questioned on Wednesday the presence of a “woman” in charge of video refereeing, a statement which sparked controversy in Brazil. “Football is different, and the fact that VAR (video assistance to refereeing, editor's note) is decided by a woman seems quite complicated to me,” declared the 64-year-old coach during a press conference. in Bragança Paulista (south-east), after his team's defeat against Bragantino 2-1 in the Brazilian championship.
Criticizing Brazilian refereeing as a whole, Diaz questioned VAR referee Daiane Muniz's decision not to award a possible penalty to Vasco in Vasco's previous match, winning 2-1 against Gremio Porto Alegre, on Sunday at Rio.
Diaz apologized to reporters minutes later and said his statement, considered "macho" by several local media outlets and on social media, had been misinterpreted. “What I wanted to say is that a single person cannot decide, make a decision as important (...) as that of the intervention of the VAR”, he tried to say. explain outside the Nabi Abi Chedid Stadium.
On social networks, Vasco da Gama regretted his coach's comments and reaffirmed “his commitment to strengthening the necessary educational measures in accordance with his determinations, values and principles”. “We apologize, as does our coach,” it was written.