Carlos Velasco Carballo, 49 years old and president of the Referees Committee, attends AS after adapting its group to the reality of new football. He has carried out works in the Las Rozas facilities to keep using the VAR and he has kept a physical, psychological and technical check on his referees so that they are ready for the return to competition.
How do the referees arrive?
Everyone arrives eager to step onto the field again and to feel like referees again.
What worries you the most?
Concern about injuries is something we share because they have never had to go two months without leaving home. Although they are in a suitable shape point, the risk exists. Also the adaptation to football without an audience.
In the Bundesliga, refereeing has become less homemade without an audience. Will it happen in LaLiga?
The LaLiga referees are neither homemade nor vice versa, they are professionals. What they do is try to do justice and whistle what they see. We have seen that there is a modification regarding the local and visiting victories, which we will see if that happens in LaLiga. Regarding the referees, I have not the slightest doubt that they will continue to do the same, sanction what they see, regardless of whether they are local or visiting.
Do you ask the referees to keep the distance on the field?
We have asked them to try to keep that distance when possible. Don't get close to the player's face for a yellow or warning. Let them do it with an adequate distance. We also ask players to keep those distances. What we have to ask is that they do not protest the referee. They must not surround the referee. And if that happens, the rules state that it is reason for a warning.
IFAB has given the possibility to remove the VAR. You keep it. Why?
Our concept is that if LaLiga started with some conditions, then they end with them. We have all become used to the fact that there are no offside goals. Even if the VAR is criticized, it would now be a shock to remove it. In 10% of the goals the VAR would be missed. We believe that we must maintain a tool that helps to solve the few errors that referees make in decisive situations.
To maintain it they have increased security.
We have disinfected all enclosures and sealed, access is controlled and minimized. All those who will enter must pass a temperature test and a COVID-19 test the morning of the game. We have placed methacrylate partition walls …
They will not use the new regulation for not changing criteria. But are they going to use the clarification to the standard of the hands?
Let's say that this clarification does not affect the Spanish referees because we already followed that criterion. There are many times that IFAB establishes some clarification, but that in Spain we were already ahead. This clarification was normally applied in Spain, except in cases where the referees on the field of play make mistakes and correct decisions.
Are there difficulties for the VAR in Di Stéfano and Camilo Cano?
The biggest challenge is to make fiber optics reach these stadiums and connect them with the fiber optic network that runs through Spain and reaches Las Rozas. That fiber is double and if there is a problem with one, communication is ensured by the other. In the case of La Nucía the change of stadium has been more recent and we are working to arrive on time.
IFAB has also asked several leagues to go more to the monitor. In LaLiga will it increase more?
We are proud to lead globally that the VAR should be used only for clear and overt errors. You should not intervene in gray or debatable plays, we would create insecurity.
There are more cases in which the referee maintains his decision. Do you get into gray plays?
We are used to a first season of a very high level to intervene. It was highly unlikely that he would leave and not change his decision. After the first season, our perception was that in serious rough play actions we had left without calling the referee in actions that should have gone. That is why we have encouraged that in those plays we were more determined and alert. This is the game of the VAR, to fine-tune that shot to intervene, keeping in mind that we do not want it to affect the fluidity of the game or enter grays, but without many plays escaping due to having the high bar.
The CSD has given the go-ahead to harden any injury against the referees
The arbitrators are grateful to our house (the Federation) for proposing this modification in the Disciplinary Code to further protect the arbitration team so that all statements that question the honor or belittle the group as they have consequences. We do not want players, coaches or managers to be punished, what we want is that there are no behaviors that despise us and make us despise them. And especially those who doubt the reputation of the group. Our goal is for sanctions to be zero because these behaviors do not occur.