NYON: UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has added his voice to scepticism about over-hasty introduction of video refereeing at the World Cup finals next June and July writes KEIR RADNEDGE.

Gianni Infantino, the former UEFA general secretary who is now had of world federation FIFA, has repeatedly talked up the use of VAR in Russia.

However, that depends on a positive verdict from the law-making International Football Association Board next March and, thus far, feedback from round-the-world trials has been mixed.

Greatest turmoil has come from Germany where a fullscale trial was launched this season in the Bundesliga with controversial and contentious results. Speculation has arisen that the trial may be scrapped during the winter break.

Ceferin, the president of European federation UEFA, contributed to the negativity with comments to Italian newspaper La Repubblica.

He estimated it would be “too early” to impose VAR at the World Cup in Russia where, last summer, a trial raised some applicatory confusion during the Confederations Cup.

Ceferin said: “I know we will not go back but, on this subject, I’m a little conservative. The referee must remain the judge otherwise it would be like handing over the job to a robot.”

First discussions among members of IFAB were due to have been held at its business meeting in Abu Dhabi next month. However this has had to be postponed to January.

UEFA has no vote at IFAB which comprises one vote each for the four British home associations and four votes for FIFA. However a two-thirds majority is needed to enact a substantive law change. None of the British associations has undertaken formal trials.

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