Premier League: Shearer criticizes video technology as officiating quality drops

Former Newcastle striker Alan Shearer has launched a scathing attack on VAR, claiming it is having a detrimental effect on refereeing standards, making them worse rather than better.

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Shearer's comments, reported by BBC Sport on Saturday, came after Newcastle United's FA Cup victory over Aston Villa, a match that was notable for its absence of VAR technology.

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The match in question highlighted a string of contentious decisions, which Shearer cited as proof of the issue, stating that the game demonstrated "the damage VAR has done to referees".

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According to Shearer, referees have become increasingly reliant on VAR, and as a result, they now appear "petrified to make decisions" without the safety net of technology to fall back on.

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This over-reliance on VAR, Shearer suggested, has led to referees struggling to make decisions when the technology is not available, resulting in errors that undermine their credibility.