A Vision on Football’s Constitution, Technology, and the “Grey Areas”

Aydın Tiryaki and Gemini 3 Pro (2025)

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Introduction: The Pursuit of Perfection Football has long ceased to be merely a game of 22 people chasing a ball; it has evolved into a global industry where decisions made in split seconds determine championship titles worth millions. With the introduction of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), the world expected “zero error.” However, a deep dive into the IFAB protocols reveals a system where technology is often handcuffed by bureaucracy, and referees are caught between the “flow of the game” and “absolute justice.” This article dissects the paradoxes of the current system and proposes revolutionary solutions for the future of football.

1. The Monitor Dilemma: “I See It, But I Can’t Call It”

The greatest paradox of the current VAR system is that a referee can see the naked truth on the monitor but is forced to apply the wrong decision due to the rulebook.

The Scenario: In a high-stakes derby, the referee initiates an On-Field Review (OFR) for a potential straight red card. After reviewing the footage, the official concludes: “The player’s intent wasn’t malicious; a red card is too harsh, a yellow card suffices.” So far, the system works. However, during the review, the referee notices a clear detail: Before the foul, the ball went out of play off a defender, not the attacker. The correct restart should be a Corner Kick, not a Goal Kick.

The Problem: The protocol dictates, “VAR cannot intervene in restart decisions (Corner/Throw-in/Goal Kick).” The referee, despite knowing it should be a corner, must cancel the red card and restart the game with a Goal Kick. Justice is defeated by bureaucracy.

2. “Fruit of the Poisonous Tree”: The Yellow Card Revolution

In law, the doctrine “Fruit of the Poisonous Tree” states that if the source (evidence) is tainted, the outcome is also invalid. In football, this principle does not apply. If a player receives an incorrect first yellow card in the 15th minute and is sent off for a second yellow in the 80th, VAR says, “I cannot look back.”

Solutions and Future Vision: To fix this injustice, three critical models discussed could shape the future:

• A. Cumulative Assessment: Before issuing a second yellow (and subsequent red), the referee should check the monitor: “Do these two offenses combined truly warrant a dismissal?”
• B. Quality Control (Instant Review): VAR should intervene not just for straight reds, but for any dubious yellow card immediately. To the critics who say “The game will stop too much,” the answer is clear: If VAR has to intervene 10 times in a match, the fault lies not with the system, but with the referee who cannot control the game. If an unjust card is cancelled instantly, there is no need for a reckoning at the final whistle.
• C. The 3rd Chance Rule: Perhaps the solution lies in a new mathematics where 2 yellow cards do not equal a red, but 3 yellow cards equal a definitive Red Card.

3. Throw-ins and the “Butterfly Effect”

While the focus is often on penalties, statistics show that a Throw-in won in the final third is as dangerous a weapon as a corner kick.

The Example: A goal scored 15 seconds after a wrongly awarded throw-in is a “material error” that changes the game’s destiny. Even if VAR reviews the goal, it cannot roll back to the throw-in decision. Therefore, corners and specifically attacking-third throw-ins must be brought under the scope of video review.

4. The Point of No Return: Mistaken Identity and Replays

The most tragic errors in football history involve “Mistaken Identity.” If a referee shows a card to the wrong player, VAR corrects it immediately. However, there is a critical threshold: The Restart of Play.

If the referee sends off the wrong man, blows the whistle, and play resumes, the decision cannot be reversed on the pitch—even if realized 10 minutes later. Worse still, even if that team loses the match or the title due to being unjustly down to 10 men, the match is not replayed. Football law considers this a “Refereeing Error” (judgment), not a “Technical Error.”

• The Cost: The wrongful card is rescinded by the disciplinary committee, the referee is sidelined (demoted), but the lost points never return.

5. New Generation Discipline: “Play to the Whistle”

In offside situations, the biggest chaos arises from attacks killed by a “Premature Whistle.” If an assistant referee raises the flag and the center referee blows the whistle, the play is dead. Even if the ball enters the net a split second later, VAR cannot resurrect the goal.

Thus, the new constitution of football is: “Delayed Whistle.”

• The Referee: Must not blow the whistle until the attacking phase is complete.
• The Player: Instructions from managers are clear: “Even if the linesman raises the flag, even if the stadium collapses, do not stop until you hear the whistle. Put the ball in the net.”

6. The Grey Areas: Free Kicks and Time Keeping

VAR’s jurisdiction should not stop at the penalty box.

• Dangerous Free Kicks: A foul committed 10 centimeters outside the penalty arc offers a goal scoring opportunity almost equal to a penalty. These decisions must be reviewed under “DOGSO” (Denial of an Obvious Goal-Scoring Opportunity) or specific dangerous play protocols.
• The Stopwatch: Instead of the estimated “stoppage time” calculated by the 4th official, football should adopt the “Stop-Clock” (Net Playing Time) method, managed professionally from the VAR room.

CONCLUSION: The Key is the “Coaches’ Challenge” (FVS)

How can we ensure this justice without stopping the game for every throw-in or yellow card? The answer lies in the FVS (Football Video Support) system currently being trialed by FIFA.

The solution is to shift the power from the referee to the Head Coach (Manager). If a manager uses one of their limited “Challenges” (e.g., 2 per match) by stating, “Ref, that throw-in is ours, we are about to concede,” or “That yellow card is unjust,” the game stops only when absolutely necessary. This prevents chaos while ensuring justice.

Football will reach its true potential the day it stops accepting error as “part of the game” and establishes justice as the foundation of the game.

Aydın Tiryaki and Gemini 3 Pro
Ankara, December 15, 2025