Latest news with #AVAR
The Herald Scotland
a day ago
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
SFA draft in pilots to speak to referees in bid to improve VAR use
Howard Webb, the head of refereeing at PGMOL in England, turned to pilots and air traffic controllers two seasons ago following a number of high-profile VAR controversies in Premier League games and enjoyed positive results from doing so. Collum felt the presentation at Oriam at the weekend was an invaluable exercise and is optimistic that Scottish referees, who have been working with SFA VAR manager and former FA Cup final referee Martin Atkinson since last October, will be more effective during the 2025/26 campaign. Read more: 'We have had aviation experts in, pilots,' he said. 'They showed us good examples of critical situations, of life and death situations. People think football is life and death, but it is not quite the same. But it is an intense environment and we wanted to know how people communicate there. 'Sometimes the VARs are speaking and they are not really asking the right open question. They could be leading the AVAR. But the pilot is not asking the co-pilot questions that he is just going to agree with. You actually see some examples where they physically sit back. There was lots about communication. 'Another key thing was that nobody in a cockpit uses the words 'I think'. It needs to be concrete, it needs to be, 'Here is what it is actually showing, here is what the outcome is'. Rather than saying it is something that I am thinking, we need it to be more factual.' Collum continued, 'In England, there was a couple of high-profile decisions which there was a negative reaction to. There was a lot of debate about the communication after a Spurs game against Liverpool. England were the first to say, 'We need to have a real serious think about what is being said in the room'. 'It can't just be a run-of-the-mill conversation, we need to be able to use the right phrases, we need to have the right processes'. What we are finding through aviation, is that you need robust processes. We definitely think that in England you can see evidence of that. (Image: Paul Devlin - SNS Group) 'In the short time that Martin has been in position, we are already seeing better evidence of that. If you had gone into the VAR room before Martin came in and talked about communication, it would have been really busy with people talking, saying too much. 'Now, if you go in you would think, 'Something is not working right here because I am not hearing anything'. But it is about speaking when you need to speak so that it is relevant. We also know that talking, talking, talking can make people tired. So we don't want our VARs and AVARs being tired.' Collum revealed that the country's Class 1 referees were played footage of pilots communicating with each other after a plane engine had caught fire in mid-air during the get-together at Hampden. 'We saw examples of that yesterday,' he said. 'Nobody can deny that the pilots adrenalin is pumping and they are fearing, they're frightened, they're worried. 'It is about keeping calm because you have got a process and you know to follow that process. We want the same. When there are critical, difficult decisions for the VAR to make they have a process there.' Read more: Collum continued, 'The pilots also analysed a lot of our clips and said from a technical point of view they didn't know what the right or the wrong decision was. But what they did say was, 'Could there have been less talk? Could there have been a different approach? Could there have been a more open-ended question to the AVAR?' 'They see a lot of similarities between what is happening in the VAR room and the cockpit. Again it is not life and death, but in football, maybe even in the west of Scotland, it is up there.' Asked if he had any intention of tapping into any other industries going forward in an attempt to improve the use of VAR and the standard of officiating in Scotland, Collum said, 'Martin has come from a police background. We don't want to go way out there and way wide, but any industry that can help us we would be keen to use it. I think a few guys were put off flying yesterday, but it was a good exercise.' Former FIFA Elite Referee Collum replaced Crawford Allan as the head of refereeing at the SFA last year and has had to contend with criticism from clubs, managers, players and supporters about mistakes which his officials have made in big matches during his first year in his new role. However, he stressed that he and his staff at the governing body are working tirelessly to get major calls right and insisted he had positive relationships with numerous major stakeholders throughout the Scottish game. (Image: Rob Casey - SNS Group) 'I deal with the technical people at clubs, the playing staff,' he said. 'I am building my relationships with the players and I think we need even more contact with them. 'We are working hand in hand with the PFA for the time ever in Scotland. We had a meeting with the PFA Scotland chairman Michael Devlin yesterday. 'We've got nothing to hide. We want to show people what we are about and the coaching we are delivering. I've always said to any club they can pick up the phone any time or come here and watch any clip with us and we'll talk them through it. I don't control what the clubs decide to do. 'But on my part the door is always open. I welcome them coming and engaging with us. I would prefer that than anything that goes public, but at the end of the day I don't control the clubs or what actions they take. But I am confident I have built up good relations with every club and every coach in the country. 'We can learn from each other. I don't want anyone thinking that the only time managers will engage with me is after bad decisions. I have very good relationships where I feel we are learning from what they are saying to us as well, including the players. I know I have played my part with the door being wide open.'
Glasgow Times
30-05-2025
- Sport
- Glasgow Times
Collum admits 'good chance' ball over line in Rangers goal incident
The Scottish FA referee chief conceded that Nico Raskin's effort at Easter Road may have crossed the line before being cleared by Rocky Bushiri. This incident was followed by a lengthy VAR check after Hibs had raced up the park and equalised. However, Collum supported the decision not to award the goal due to the lack of a definitive camera angle proving the ball was over the line. In a candid discussion on the VAR Review show, Collum suggested the ball was likely in but defended the VAR and AVAR for adhering to protocol amidst criticism for their handling of similar situations in the past. Collum said: "Let's go back to two incidents this season first—Hibs vs Celtic, possible ball over the line, and Dundee United vs Hibs, possible handball before it goes into the goal. "We were criticised for both of those decisions, and rightly so, because ultimately, there was no conclusive evidence. "I know people who would look at this decision and say 'that camera angle, for me, is conclusive.' "But the reality is, that camera angle is at an angle looking in the way, there's nothing directly in line there." He referenced a similar incident from a World Cup match, where an angled camera shot suggested the ball was over the line, but a direct view proved otherwise. He continued: "Can the VAR and the AVAR there categorically, 100 per cent, say the ball was over the line? "Not for us. "Do I think it crossed the line? "I think there's a good chance it did. "But can I be absolutely certain of that? "No." Collum acknowledged the challenging nature of the situation, noting the difficulty in making a definitive call as the ball was off the ground in the final frame before being cleared. He said: "What doesn't help in this scenario is that the ball is not on the ground. "I think you could make a call here if the ball was on the ground, well over, there was loads of grass between it. "In terms of that camera angle, in terms of the ball being mid-air, can we be 100 per cent? "We don't think we can be."
Fox News
15-03-2025
- General
- Fox News
Veteran-led dig of Revolutionary War battlefield seeks to shed light on history, empower disabled vets
A group of disabled veterans were recently brought together to excavate a Revolutionary War battlefield — but it was far from the usual dig. The project, which was organized by the American Veterans Archaeological Recovery (AVAR), took place over the course of four weeks and ended in February. Fourteen veterans came to Kershaw County in South Carolina to excavate where the Battle of Camden was fought in August 1780, but they weren't just looking for musket balls. AVAR founder Stephen Humphreys told Fox News Digital that the archaeologists-in-training were using GPS receivers to collect spatial data in order to learn more about the battle, which was considered a devastating loss for the colonial forces. "A lot of Americans haven't heard about it… but it's an extremely significant battle for the South in particular and for the North as well," the expert explained. "One of the big research questions is, you know, how much the American militia really fight, because the American militia really catch the brunt of the blame for losing the battle." Part of the mission was to improve historical understanding of the conflict by gathering enough data to generate a heat map of the battle's movements. "The American militia textual sources indicate that they break almost immediately… and so we wanted to see, 'archaeologically, is that true?'" Humphreys explained. "So we're working in those areas to see how much American fire is there over here. How much did the American militia actually engage before they retreated?" Looking for old artifacts may sound more straightforward than what the AVAR archaeologists are doing, but Humphreys emphasized that collecting spatial data helps shed more light on the movements of the battle. "[We're] using intensive metal detector survey to plot exactly where the different forces were during the battle, what the movements were," he described. "We're getting spatial data for every musket ball that's found on the site, plotting that on a giant GIS [geographic information system] map. And that allows us to see, ideally, where some of these units were on the day of the battle and where they weren't." "And what you end up with is basically a heat map that shows patterns on the battlefield, and we use that to evaluate where the troops were firing from, where they were firing at," Humphreys added. Humphreys, a U.S. Air Force veteran who deployed during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, holds a Ph.D. in archaeology from Durham University. He has participated in digs across the world, ranging from Israel to Sicily to the U.K. Humphreys founded AVAR in 2016 to give veterans a chance to become archaeologists. Many of his students bring unique traits to the field, and Humphreys noted that a good portion of AVAR's veterans are disabled. "They're willing to put in the extra work… they have a profound appreciation for those sites as hallowed ground." "While most of our veterans do have various disabilities, we really focus on the strengths that they bring to the field," Humphreys said. "And we leverage those, which is why we focus so much on conflict sites. We really do find that military veterans bring a unique understanding and a unique respect for those sites." The AVAR founder also said that working on-site can help reduce symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression for disabled veterans — but the main focus of AVAR is to get them jobs. "They bring excellence and teamwork," Humphreys said of his veterans. "They can bond together really, really quickly. They understand how to get the work done. The veteran work ethic really is unsurpassed in this field." "Our vets do work harder than most of the other people out there, and they are in demand for that," he added. "And they're willing to put in the extra work, go the extra mile to find every artifact that might relate to that person and tell that personal story." Humphreys also described the American Revolution site as being "special," and noted that veterans often feel an attachment to such areas. "They have a profound appreciation for those sites as hallowed ground," he said. "You walk out there, you feel the wind blowing through the pine trees that are there now, and it's just got a presence to it." The excavation's partner organizations also included the American Battlefield Trust, the Historic Camden Foundation, the South Carolina American Revolution Trust and the South Carolina Institute for Archaeology and Anthropology. American Battlefield Trust President David Duncan told Fox News Digital that it was an honor to be part of the excavation. "AVAR's mission demonstrates multiple ways in which preserved battlefields remain impactful: as a means for us to deepen our understanding of the past through tangible exploration and as a venue for the betterment of the mental and physical well-being of veterans," Duncan said. "We were honored to bring this immensely impactful program to Trust-owned land and be a part of this meaningful program."
Telegraph
11-03-2025
- Sport
- Telegraph
Howard Webb: VAR made Everton vs Man Utd error – but decision to overturn penalty was right
Referees' chief Howard Webb has admitted officials made a mistake in not showing the correct replays of Everton's controversially overturned penalty in their 2-2 draw with Manchester United, yet insisted the correct decision was made. Everton players were left incensed after a foul on Ashley Young was overturned following a VAR review, which recommended referee Andy Madley overturn his decision to award them an injury-time penalty in last month's draw at Goodison Park. Webb has since conceded that Madley was not shown the correct angles of the incident as he did not get a clear look at the shirt pull committed by United defender Matthijs de Ligt, only angles that focused on his team-mate Harry Maguire, who had originally been penalised for the foul. Yet despite widespread opinion that De Ligt had committed a foul on Young – including former referee Dermot Gallagher claiming the Dutch international 'has got hold of his shirt for long enough to give the penalty' – Webb has insisted Everton should not have been awarded a penalty. 'When checking the sequence, the VAR and the AVAR, you'll see them looking at this wide angle to give the view on Maguire. You'll hear the AVAR talk about De Ligt and asking a question. Does De Ligt commit an offence or not,' said Webb, the Professional Game Match Officials Limited technical director, to Michael Owen on Match Officials Mic'd Up. 'So they're aware of De Ligt having potentially done something. They form the opinion that Maguire is not committing an offence, but then they go on to ask the referee at the screen to consider the actions of De Ligt. But I absolutely acknowledge and accept the angles that are presented to the referee at that point don't show clearly enough what De Ligt does. Not penalise on the field, of course, but they want to show it. 'But they need to show him some of these angles earlier when he gets to the screen, instead of staying on the wide angle, which doesn't really show as clearly as is, needs to be shown De Ligt's actions. 'I'm not saying De Ligt's actions are a foul. They need to show this angle to be able to make that determination at the screen. And of course these angles were shown on broadcast. So the world is seeing these, and I guess that's where some of the criticism came from in terms of how this process played out.' Fresh footage of the discussion revealed that the VAR Matt Donohue recommended a closer look at De Ligt, highlighting: 'Before you leave the screen, just consider the actions of De Ligt as well. Again, I don't believe there to be a foul there but I'd like you to consider them for your viewing.' However, Madley was not shown a crucial angle from behind the goal that clearly displayed De Ligt twice pulling at Young's shirt as he ran towards the ball before the VAR review was completed. Webb: 'Not all contacts are a foul' Despite this admission, Webb doubled down that Everton should not have received a penalty. 'We've spoken during pre-season and during the season many times on this show about not all contacts are a foul. Just because you have a small tug it doesn't necessarily mean it's something you're going to penalise,' Webb added. 'We're trying to look for impact of that action and the way that Young falls forward. He spreads his legs. He kind of like throws himself forward somewhat in my opinion and it isn't commensurate with the amount of hold that you see from De Ligt. 'So we don't think this meets the threshold of a penalty in its own right. And that was certainly the view of the referee when he went to the screen and was shown momentarily the view from the angle behind the goal. 'But I accept that we should have shown not only that angle, but this angle that we can see here as well, so that he's able to make that full evaluation. And people at home watching this can see that he's had a full view of everything coming to the decision. I'm pretty certain he would come to the same decision anyway, but at least people would know that he's seen the full information.'
