Source: REUTERS/Ibraheem Al Omari
[Saba Sports News] According to French media reports, Ligue 1 has canceled plans to install a VAR (Video Assistant Referee) broadcast system due to budget constraints. The industry has just informed the French Football Federation (FFF) that they will not provide funding for audio equipment to assist referees in making decisions after using VAR. This innovation could have added some interest for viewers of Ligue 1, but it was abandoned due to the high costs of stadium renovations, estimated between €600,000 and €700,000. Following a failed bid for TV broadcasting rights at the beginning of the season, Ligue 1 authorities believe this project is not a priority. Initially, Ligue 1 planned to launch this innovation in August and had already tested it in the recent men’s and women’s finals of the French Cup, as well as in the women’s Ligue 1. Referees had also undergone training to prepare for it. However, the idea was first postponed and then scrapped. According to Le Parisien, it is evident that this project will not be realized by the end of the season due to a lack of funding. Furthermore, whether this project, which could have pleased both the FFF and the French Professional Football League (LFP), will be implemented in the future remains uncertain.