As part of the project, HNS organized a gathering of 28 referees who are candidates for video assistant referees (VAR) and their assistants (AVAR) in order to familiarize them with the complex process of introducing VAR into Croatian football.
The attending referees were greeted by HNS vice-president and president of the Referees' Committee Ante Kulušić Ante Kulušić and head of the Referees' Department Igor Pristovnik, while the classes were held by VAR instructor Bruno Marić and his assistant Tomislav Šetka.
foto: Drago Sopta/HNS
The referees were introduced to the equipment that will be used for this project, as well as its features and its limitations. They also participated in exercises that showed numerous recording of situations where VAR is used in order to understand the available angles, the speed of the recording, and the interaction between the equipment and the video assistant referees. At the end of this seminar, all present referees partook in a video test. The introduction of VAR in Croatia is financed through the FIFA Forward Programme.
"The referees could see today that there is a great challenge ahead of them, as we are introducing something completely new and different in comparison to their previous experiences. HNS will do everything to provide these referees with the best possible education on all aspects of VAR, so that we may be ready for the spring part of the 2019/2020 season. The protocols set by FIFA and IFAB are clear and exacting, and it is up to us to fulfill them in the next year. I have seen today that everyone is aware of the complexity of this project and I am sure that our referees can rise to the challenge," said Ante Kulušić.
foto: Drago Sopta/HNS
foto: Drago Sopta/HNS
