Safety steps taken for Turkish football video referees

By Can Erozden

ANKARA (AA) – The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) on Thursday announced safety measures for video referees who will officiate matches when the season restarts tomorrow.

Separators have been installed in the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) room to minimize physical contact between officials and ensure social distancing in the indoor area, the TFF said in a statement.

It said all referees and technical operators in the VAR room must wear face shields and will be given headphones for personal use.

All equipment will be disinfected before each match, according to the statement.

The TFF said VAR center employees must respect social distancing rules, wear face masks, and observe the highest level of personal hygiene.

The center is located in TFF's premises in Istanbul's Riva area, a neighborhood on the megacity's Asian side.

The VAR system is used in almost every football competition around the globe, with officials using replay footage to help the referee on the pitch.