Carlo Pacifici on Radio Anch’io: Referees’ Choices, Var, and the Future of Football

“The referees will talk more, even if I don’t agree much on post-match interviews.” A guest of Radio Anch’io sport on Rai Radio 1, the new president of the Italian referees’ association, Carlo Pacifici, opens up to the explanation of the referees’ choices in the field, but without accelerating: “At the end of the match there are too many situations, there is too much adrenaline which could alter the communication aspect of the referee, but I am fully convinced that we referees will have to explain through direct channels what are the rules of the game and the episodes that took place on the pitch”. No closure towards the Var: “It is an important tool for us, it gives us the possibility to remedy any mistakes. It is logical that there must be a balance between the autonomous intervention of the referee and the Var. The protocol has been updated, the results are positive, but there are margins to do better. Is the Var on call? I’m open to any solution that can meet the needs of football, no foreclosure on my part”. And on the actual closed time: “When the Ifab (International Football Association Board) opts for this solution, we will implement it as we always have”.

Grace to Lukaku

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On the subject of the pardon granted to Lukaku by FIGC president Gravina, Pacifici explains that there is no risk that the referee class will now evaluate this type of gesture or celebration in response to racist insults in a different way: “Absolutely not, the decision in the field it was taken. Then the pardon is the prerogative of the federal president, he implemented it because he probably verified all the conditions. Nothing changes from us, we will continue to make decisions according to the current rules. Anyone who silences the public after being insulted will be booked, the regulation provides for it”.

Two gears

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According to Pacifici, the other issue concerns the gap between the series that can make use of the VAR technology and those who don’t have it. “Technology has revolutionized football, we cannot underestimate it – argues Pacifici -. Football played on provincial fields does not have the technology to support it and therefore the logic of football is certainly different. We must try to find a uniformity to avoid have two different channels”.

The unification

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Pacifici then said he agreed with the unification of the two commissions, therefore Can A and B as a single commission for perspective work. “We must give value to young people as Gianluca Rocchi is doing excellently, because they represent our future. There is an important generational change taking place and we must protect football through the training of young referees”.

The alarm

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The new president of The Hague drew attention to the numerous acts of violence that have involved young referees: “We still have too many kids who are subjected to it – underlined Pacifici -. We have to work on this, the federation has been close to us by giving us the possibility of being protected through the tightening of sanctions, however it is a path on which we must be very careful”.

Gazzetta dello Sport