Münster, Germany (AP) — A masked fan unplugged the referee’s video replay monitor when the referee decided to award a penalty kick at a German soccer match in an apparent protest against VAR technology.
Munster said in a statement that the unidentified fan came out of the stands and unplugged the monitor that referee Felix Bicker was trying to use to decide a penalty in Sunday’s second-tier match between Prussia Munster and Hertha Berlin.
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Television footage showed a man wearing white overalls and a Munster green ski mask climbing back into the home stands.
This did not prevent the decision against the home team as video assistant referee Katrin Rafalski was able to decide remotely and communicate the decision to Bicker. Hertha Berlin’s Fabian Rees took a penalty kick and scored the first goal for the team’s 2-1 victory.
Münster said it “regrets this incident and will make every effort to identify the perpetrators and bring them to justice,” adding that steps will be taken to prevent it from happening again.
“Preliminary findings indicate this was a planned operation,” Munster added. A photo published by German media showed home fans holding a large banner that read “Unplug VAR.”
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However, Munster captain Jorit Hendricks said he was delighted with the incident.
“It shows how the fans feel and that they want to do whatever it takes to win the game,” he said in comments broadcast on TV show Sportschau. “If they can do something to influence it, they will. I totally understand that and think it’s a good thing.”
Since VAR was introduced in German football in 2017, there has been controversy among fans. Many consider the video review delays to be an unwelcome intrusion into the flow of the game.
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