Neil Swarbrick: Premier League VAR chief to retire at end of season
- Published
Arsenal were denied a goal at Leicester on Saturday for a foul by Ben White on goalkeeper Danny Ward that was spotted by VAR
Premier League video assistant referee chief Neil Swarbrick is to leave his role at the end of the season.
Swarbrick moved on to lead video assistant referee duties after his on-field career came to an end in 2018.
The 57-year-old has spearheaded VAR's implementation in the top flight.
But he has now opted to retire amid a period of change at PGMOL (Professional Game Match Officials Limited) triggered by the arrival of Howard Webb as chief refereeing officer.
Former World Cup final referee Webb returned to English football to take up the newly created role at the end of 2022 after five years in the United States.
The VAR system has endured frequent controversies since being introduced into the Premier League from the start of the 2019-20 campaign.
Earlier this month Lee Mason left PGMOL following his VAR error during Arsenal's 1-1 draw with Brentford.
Mason failed to draw the guidelines to check for offside on Ivan Toney's equaliser for the Bees and left his post just days later.
Another official, John Brooks, was dropped as VAR operator for the Merseyside derby and Manchester City's top-of-the-table visit to Arsenal after wrongly disallowing a Brighton goal at Crystal Palace.
Analysis
This move in itself is regarded as being distinct from the furore in recent weeks that led to Mason's immediate departure from PGMOL on 17 February.
However, it is part of the immense change at the organisation and the direction of travel.
Webb is determined to make officials more transparent and accountable and if that means making tough decisions, that is what he will do.
VAR has been a particular issue, although some of the bolder moves, including announcing decisions to fans in stadiums, are only within the remit of international rule-making body IFAB, whose annual meeting is in central London on Saturday.
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