To be Erez Papir: On the evening when the judge's "I" overcame the sense of justice

In the few seconds he stood in front of the video screen, Erez Papir symbolized the big problem that is why we are so critical of some of the judges: there are people who simply did not have a judgmental temperament.

Nir Kipnis

24/01/2022

Monday, 24 January 2022, 13:12

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Summary: Maccabi Petah Tikva - Hapoel Beer Sheva 1: 0 (Sport 1)

The VAR was supposed to be the football referee's best friend: the end to refereeing errors that determine games.

Each of us will imagine himself in his workplace receiving such a miracle device that keeps our range of error from now on only in marginal matters.

Not great?

Erez Papir went to the video screen after being called to it by the VAR team, meaning they - in a panel of several judges, think his original ruling was wrong.

Everyone was sure that Papir, even though he was close to an event on the grass - a clear failure of Ramzi Spori from Hapoel Beer Sheva by Ben Reichert from Maccabi Petah Tikva, would change the original ruling and shoot at the penalty spot.

He might even get a second yellow card for Reichert, but no one was prepared for Papir to look at the screen, see darkness - and rule that the sun was shining.

More on Walla!

After the mistake of Papir and Fried, the union admits: "Bad evening. We are in trouble"

To the full article

What did he see in VAR?

Paper (Photo: Udi Citation)

Let's leave Papir in front of the screen for a moment and talk a little about the VAR. It seems like everything has already been said and written about this device, but there is no doubt that it has dramatically changed the way we treat essential parts of the game. On Saturday my English team, Manchester United, scored a decisive goal in the second second of the game. Once upon a time, a quick glance at Kwon and the judge was enough - and it was possible to celebrate. This time I was silent. I sat tense in front of the screen - and after a minute of repetition in which it turned out that Edinson Cavani was no different, it seemed a bit dumb to me to scream happy. So yeah, the VAR killed me for the spontaneous fun, but what's the alternative - a game that is decided illegally?

My local team, Hapoel Haifa, also saved Pendel in the second round of its away game against Hapoel Nof Hagalil.

The penalty, which I think reached the host, was not burned because the video judges were unable to find in replay a definite proof of error in the original ruling that stated that the offense was committed off-court.

I think they were wrong - but in the absence of conclusive proof, they ruled according to the law.

Here too my spontaneous joy at a rare victory of my team was rejected and repressed.

In this case even justice with the opponent was not done.

But if I thought I saw it all, the day after the Netherlands' game of the season came the video refereeing turned into a sad joke: a ball that goes beyond all reasonable doubt from the field, approved by the video referees legally and achieves Ajax (actually my favorite between the two claiming the Dutch crown) victory That might guarantee her a championship.

A real scandal.

The scandals?

Not only in Israel.

Ajax approved goal against PSV (Photo: screenshot, Twitter)

This is only slightly worse than what the VAR team did to referee Papir in the first half of the game, after an injury, even a serious injury, of Marcus Deniz Petah Tikva in Brewery Beer Sheva, inside the extension, was not brought to the referee's attention.

Why did anyone bother to give them the ability to alert the judge of just such situations?

Unclear - what is clear is that there was no intelligent use of it.

But let's go back to Papir standing in the rain in front of the screen - what's going through his mind in that second?

I'm petty from a heart and kidney test, but since I'm one hundred percent sure Papir had no foreign consideration, I'll still try to articulate his thoughts.

Papir, who was standing close to the original event, was under the impression that Reichert was walking on the ball and not on foot.

The video does not support or refute this version, but it does provide another critical element: even if Reichert "goes for the ball", the touch develops into a clear failure - and therefore, Pendel is clear.

Did not admit by mistake.

Paper (Photo: Udi Citation)

But no Kfir man would let the facts confuse him: from the whole move he chose to see precisely what he saw, without being able to admit his mistake, for he saw only half a move and not the full picture that was clearly visible to him from the screen.

In other words - Papir had a syndrome known among criminals (and for the avoidance of doubt, he is not a criminal of course): he stuck to his version so much that he could not admit that it was simply inconsistent with the facts.

This brings us to the deepest foundations of refereeing, any refereeing and especially one of football games.

It is tempting to wonder at times about the motivation of football referees to become such.

What motivates them?

There are those who come from love - love of the game and the desire to be a part of it even though they are not football stars.

Whoever has this motivation, will be blessed.

But there are those - and they bring a bad name to their colleagues, who come from a place of power, to say: I am the last arbiter.

Honest, but is it too proud?

Papir pulls out a yellow card for Vitor (Photo: Udi Citiat)

When this "I" prevails over the sense of justice, the opposite is obtained from the so-called "judgmental temperament."

The ego and the desire to say the last word, outweighs the sight of the eyes - and the suspicion arises that this is exactly what happened to Papir.

For the avoidance of doubt: Papir is not corrupt, no one tilted him to rule incorrectly, but he also did not err in good faith: he erred because he pre-searched the video screen for justification for his decision - and did not approach the VAR willingly, to whistle the right whistle .

Beyond what was done injustice to sporting justice, a heavy shadow was cast here on the judicial temperament in which Papir was endowed: the punishment, if imposed on him by the Referees Union (in a miserable season, it must be noted) would be disqualification for several weeks.

But when the source of the error is in character, it is doubtful that this honest but overly proud man should return to judge at all.

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• Paper cedar

• Hapoel Beer Sheva

• Maccabi Petah Tikva