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Fifa gives green light to video reviews at Russian World Cup

FIFA has finally and fully approved video review to help referees at the World Cup.

The last step toward giving match officials high-tech help in Russia was agreed to at a meeting in Colombia late on Friday by Fifa’s ruling council, chaired by president Gianni Infantino.

Infantino said it would lead to “a more transparent and fairer sport. We need to live with our times.”

Fifa will now look to sign a World Cup sponsor for video assistant referees (VAR) at the June 14-July 15 tournament.

Fifa also reported a £140 million net loss in its published accounts for 2017 and agreed to publish the voting choices of member federations in the 2026 World Cup bidding contest on June 13 in Moscow.

A North American bid combining the US, Canada, and Mexico is competing with Morocco for the right to host the first 48-team tournament, in eight years time. Up to 207 Fifa members will vote, with the four bidding nations excluded.

Infantino also answered with a firm and simple “No” when asked if recent evidence-free accusations against Russia by British politicians would affect its hosting of the World Cup.

The landmark decision on using technology was taken two weeks after Fifa’s rule-making panel, known as IFAB, voted to write VAR into the laws of football.

That decision still left competition organisers to opt to use video review in their games and Fifa’s ruling committee had to sign off on the World Cup decision.

Referees can call on VAR to review and overturn “clear and obvious errors” plus “serious missed incidents” involving goals, penalty awards, red cards and mistaken identity.

In 18 months of trials worldwide, including at the 2017 Confederations Cup in Russia, Bundesliga and Serie A , reviews have often been slower than promised and communication has been unclear in the stadium.

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