Edinburgh amateur sides to play in Scottish VAR training tournament

Three Edinburgh amateur teams will participate in a tournament on Saturday afternoon aimed at training the best of Scottish referees in using VAR.

The video replay system will come into use next season after the World Cup following an overwhelming vote by member clubs in the SPFL to implement it at the highest level of football in this country.

The tournament will take place at the Oriam and will see Murieston United, Edinburgh Caledonian and Westside AFC compete in three matches across the afternoon and into the evening. The first game, between Murieston United and Edinburgh Caledonian, will kick off at 3pm.

Supporters are welcome with tickets free for anyone who wants to attend the event. A trophy will be presented to the winners of the tournament.

Referee Serdar Gözübüyük reviews the VAR monitor for a potential penalty during Rangers' Europa League encounter with Red Star Belgrade earlier this season. Picture: SNS

The SFA invited Lothian and Edinburgh Amateur Football Association to nominate three teams to participate. The teams were selected on the basis of winning each of the Saturday Section Premier League, the Sunday Morning Premier Division and the Sunday Afternoon Premier Division.

Tollcross Thistle were the winners of the Saturday Section league but had to decline due to the date clashing with the club's annual weekend away. Murieston United, as runners-up, took their place.

The games will be officiated by a referee, two assistants, a fourth official and two officials who will be monitoring the game in the video operating room.

VAR has been a controversial subject in football ever since its introduction to the top leagues in Italy and Germany in 2017-18 season. While many fans are in favour of the technological advancement of the game, others feel it detracts from the emotion of football.

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