A dramatic scene unfolded at a German second-division football match on Sunday when a masked fan emerged from the stands to unplug the video assistant referee (VAR) monitor, in an apparent protest against the technology.
The incident occurred as referee Felix Bickel was deciding on a penalty.
The unidentified individual, clad in white overalls and a ski mask in Muenster green, interrupted Bickel during the game between Preussen Muenster and Hertha Berlin.
Muenster later confirmed the fan came out of the stands to unplug the monitor. Television footage captured the person climbing back into the home fans’ section immediately after the act.
Despite the audacious disruption, the decision ultimately went against the home side.
Video assistant referee Katrin Rafalski made a remote ruling, communicating her findings to Bickel. Hertha’s Fabian Reese subsequently scored the penalty, the opening goal in their 2-1 victory.
Preussen Muenster expressed regret, stating it would “do everything it can to identify the perpetrator or perpetrators and bring them to justice”, and added that “initial findings indicate that this was a planned action.”
A large banner displayed by home fans, reading “Pull the plug on VAR”, supported this.
Curiously, Muenster captain Jorrit Hendrix voiced approval of the fan’s actions.
“It shows how the fans experience things and that they want to do everything to win the game,” he said in comments broadcast by TV show Sportschau.
“If they can do something to influence it, they do that. I completely understand it and think it’s a good thing.”
The incident underscores the ongoing controversy surrounding VAR in German football, where it has been a source of fan frustration due to perceived delays and an unwelcome interruption to the flow of the game since its 2017 introduction.
Despite complaints, VAR is set to be given more power at this summer’s World Cup. The technology is set to be used to cover second yellow cards and cards awarded to the wrong team.
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