Daniel Avellaneda
07/20/2021 1:11 PM
Clarín.com
sports
Updated 07/20/2021 1:11 PM
Argentine soccer is the champion of America, a consequence of a fertile land of players who knew how to export their best talents. The gaze changes when one begins to dig into its depths, where everything is linked to politics and does not escape the crisis that dominates the country. Only from this juncture is it possible to explain
why the Professional League is one of the few that failed to implement the VAR (Video of Referee Assistance)
,
contrary
to what happens in almost the entire continent.
Three years ago, long before the world envisioned a pandemic, work was being done on implementing the technology. What's more,
$ 1,500,000 was invested in equipment that, for a few good months, was held in Customs
. The tender to provide technically to the AFA was won by the national company Reftel, which deals with the intercoms used by the referees, in partnership with the Belgian Simple Life. A 900-square-meter building was built on the Ezeiza site, in which seven VOR cabins (Video Office Room, according to its acronym in English) were installed. And despite the difficulties in laying fiber optics from the Ricchieri motorway, everything is on track. Even Federico
Beligoy, National Director of Arbitration, boasted that Argentina would have "the first centralized operations center in South America
.
"
He called the project "avant-garde." 50 judges were trained. And last week there were rehearsals with the boys from the lower Racing teams in the Cylinder, where situations typical of the game were simulated.
So why is there no VAR in Argentina?
What was left of the initiative to make its official use from the third or fourth date?
Claudio Tapia was cautious last week, just after the horrors that were seen in Boca-Atlético Mineiro and Cerro Porteño-Fluminense by Libertadores: “We believe that it is a very important tool to impose (sic) justice, but that we must interpret it and oil it with peace and tranquility. We have to do a lot of teaching, we have to work for everyone to accompany. Here we are all part of improving or not Argentine football. It is a very valid tool that, when used well, is very useful. We are creating a VOR room that not many federations have.
There is no date yet, we have to talk to the leaders
”.
Patricio Loustau checking the VAR in the match between Brazil and Peru for the Copa America 2021 Photo: AFP
Precisely, the leaders are those who are blocking the VAR.
There are two fundamental questions: the cost - the main one - and the uncertainty that exists regarding the future of the AFA's leadership.
Today, the implementation of technology in Argentine soccer has a value of 200 million pesos in the championship
.
It is calculated, approximately, 600 thousand pesos for each game.
The issue came up at the last League meeting, held at the Hilton hotel, and the question from one of the directors was not answered: "Who is going to pay the VAR?"
As Clarín was able to find out, the clubs are not willing to pay the cost of the VAR
. “Suppose we play five home games. At 600 thousand pesos per date, it costs us 3 million, the same as we pay a player's salary. In other words, having the VAR will represent us one more footballer on the squad. We are without an audience, many people unsubscribed, we cannot face it. The AFA has to take charge ”, one of the recurring attendees at the League conclave told Clarín. They all want a subsidy from the AFA.
The appearance of the VAR would increase the salary mass of the arbitration because instead of having four referees (main, assistants and fourth) per game, seven would be needed (three in the VOR booth of Ezeiza).
On the other hand, not all the fields have good connectivity, although the images will be dispensed by Torneos, which is in charge of the transmissions.
There is another situation that slows it down: what will happen to Tapia, pointed out by the Government?
Ricardo Nissen, head of the General Inspection of Justice, assured a few weeks ago: “It is likely that there will be a resolution in August.
We, the judge, have to make a pronouncement and there is a risk that everything goes to the camera and only then would we be in a position to know who is going to decide ”.
Of course, now the National Team won the Copa América.
And there are those who believe that Chiqui can surf the storm.
