the VAR referee admits having doubts for the penalty not awarded to Thuram

Tomasz Kwiatkowski, referee in charge of VAR during the World Cup final, returned to the difficulties encountered by him and the refereeing team during this France-Argentina and in particular evokes the penalty not whistled on Marcus Thuram.

Hailed like heroes on their return to Poland, the various referees who surrounded Szymon Marciniak in the World Cup final each spoke in turn about this very special match. Tomasz Kwiatkowski, referee in charge of VAR in the World Cup final, returned to the microphone from DVT Sport on the penalty not granted for Marcus Thuram at the end of the match. The main referee had finally opted for a simulation and sanctioned the French player.

“An arch-difficult simulation of Thuram”

Analyzing the match, Tomasz Kwiatkowski admits that he only had very few phases of the game to analyze closely, but that he obviously kept a constant eye on each match fact: “There were six goals where there were several tight situations in the crucial attack phase. I had three penalties which were very well dictated by Szymon (Marciniak, the main referee). I had two situations with a potential red card and a super-difficult simulation of Thuram, and remember that sometimes a simulation is in the balance with a penalty.”

The journalist doing the interview then asks him what was the most difficult situation to mediate. And he replies: “Definitely (Thuram’s) simulation. VAR referees often rely on the first feeling. In this situation, it was either a penalty or a simulation. As soon as Szymon decided to the simulation, I said he had to stop the game and we had to check everything first.”

“It was not a simple situation from a VAR point of view”

“Fortunately, I could see from the first image that it would be right, immediately specifies the referee who was in charge of the VAR. The second only confirmed it for me. Well, that means that the decision grip on the pitch was correct. We analyzed everything quite quickly. It was not an easy situation from a VAR point of view.”

“When you’re sitting in a warm chair, drinking a beer and eating crisps, everything seems simple, he tackles about the criticisms leveled against the refereeing of this final. In addition to the situations that I have mentioned, I checked a lot of small things to possibly help, for example, a quick indication of a number or a small hint about a decision.”

“These are the secrets of our trade that not everyone knows. Szymon and the players on the pitch deserve the biggest applause. I stepped back and was able to help the referees who were there on the pitch. It was a difficult and demanding match. For me too, in terms of emotions, the number of incidents and the responsibility involved. I had an easier life, thanks to the fact that Szymon was brilliant.” praising the work of his compatriot and main referee.

source site