Extended use of video replay comes to support referees and delegates
Several technological developments are in place at the Women’s EHF EURO 2022. The use of them will also be clearly communicated to the spectators in the arena with the help of dedicated graphic icons shown on the arena cube. Video replay offers the possibility to the referees to immediately watch a situation on a TV screen if they were not able to see the complete action on the court and if they wish to check again before reaching a decision.
This specifically refers to key match situations where the referees decide to consult the TV picture additionally to their own view on the court.
A new situation which can trigger the use of the video replay has been added to the previous four cases (goal/no goal, punishment, wrong buzzer use, wrong substitution).
The "game-changer" situation can occur in the last 30 seconds of the match, if the referees have serious reservations about a penalty throw decision or a technical foul committed by a player scoring a goal (i.e., steps, charging foul, goal area violation, double dribble).
The following situations trigger a video replay investigation by the referees (or the delegates):
1. GOAL / NO GOAL:
- Determine whether (or not) the ball has completely crossed the goal line.
- Determine whether the time has expired before (or after) the ball has completely crossed the goal line.
2. PUNISHMENT
- Serious and unfair actions without the ball.
- Situations without the ball, outside the referees' line of sight.
- Disqualification: for the referees to accurately identify the jersey number of the transgressing player.
- Conflict on the court: a confrontation involving two (or more) players (and the referees have serious doubts about which player(s) should be punished).
- Simulation: if the officials have serious doubts regarding whether a player should be given a progressive punishment or if a player is attempting to mislead the referees through simulation.
- Rule 8: if the referees have serious doubts about whether a 2-minute suspension or a disqualification shall be given.
3. WRONG BUZZER USE (situation to be reviewed by the delegate)
- Electronic team timeout (buzzer): in the case of a technical malfunction of the electronic team timeout, uncertainties by the delegate or referees as to which team had possession of the ball when the buzzer was pressed or doubts by the delegate as to who pressed the buzzer.
4. WRONG SUBSTITUTION (situation to be reviewed by the delegate)
- Faulty substitution: that is not identified by the officials at the table.
5. GAME-CHANGING SITUATIONS IN THE LAST 30 SECONDS OF THE MATCH
- if the referees have serious reservations about a penalty throw decision or a technical foul committed by a player scoring a goal (i.e., steps, charging foul, goal area violation, double dribble).
- Other: in the case of a decision that may lead to a protest.
In addition, if the referees observe another situation during the video replay review in which an incorrect decision was taken or a foul was not called, they must correct that decision based on the facts verified in the video replay. This is only applicable to situations that occurred at the same time as the reviewed situation or in the immediate build-up to the situation in question.
