Three Australian outlets publish opinion columns arguing that video assistant referee (VAR) technology alters the feel and conduct of sport. The pieces contend that VAR, by using replay and technology to identify incidents that the naked eye might miss, shifts decision-making toward a more controlled and procedural approach. All three commentaries frame the effect as reducing the “colour” and “chaos” that they say have historically defined live competition—suggesting it can dampen spontaneity and undermine the immediacy of on-field moments.
While the articles acknowledge VAR’s purpose is to improve accuracy, their shared perspective is that the trade-off is a different experience for players and fans. They argue that sport’s appeal includes human judgment, uncertainty, and the emotional rhythm of live events, and that increased reliance on technological review changes that rhythm. Each column calls for a “renaissance,” though they do not present a single unified policy proposal. Instead, they express concern that the technology’s presence reshapes what they consider sport’s essential character.
