Fans demanding the abolition of VAR in Norway interrupt the game

Protests against VAR in Norway took a drastic and frankly bizarre turn during an Eliteserien match over the weekend. Rosenborg BK hosted Lilleström on Sunday in a match between two mid-table teams. The incidents in the match occurred immediately after kick-off, with fans throwing objects onto the pitch in frustration with VAR. Although there were no incidents in this match that would have required VAR, Norway is known for its disdain for VAR in the Eliteserien. This match was merely a means of venting that frustration with things like tennis balls, smoke bombs and even fish cakes.

After only two minutes of having to deal with fans throwing objects onto the pitch, the referee of the match between Rosenborg and Lilleström sent the players to the dressing room. Play eventually resumed, but it only seemed to get worse. Spectators continued to throw objects onto the pitch to get their message across via VAR. After 30 minutes, the referee had seen enough. Rohit Saggi, the referee who officiated the match, said the match could not continue due to the state of the pitch. Smoke bombs prevented any form of continuous visibility. In addition, the fish cakes did the quality of the match no favors.

Saggi went on to say that it was “sad for football” that this had to happen. The coaches of Rosenborg and Lilleström also expressed their disappointment at the fans’ behaviour on Sunday.

“It’s crazy. We’re all here to play football, we’re not allowed to do that,” said Rosenborg coach Alfred Johansson after the postponed game. “We understand that they have their views and attitudes, but we’re mostly upset that we can’t play our game.”

The players agreed and called the competition a waste of time after their week of training.

Norway debates effectiveness of VAR protests

This may have been a Rosenborg home game, but it was both sets of fans who voiced their frustration with VAR. For example, Lillestrom fans waited after the game to loudly chant how much they hate VAR. Lillestrom fan group Kanarifansen expressed satisfaction with the effectiveness of the protests. “I see it as a victory for those who want to abolish VAR. We are getting the attention we want,” said Joacim Møller, the head of Kanarifansen.

There is still debate about how effective this form of protest is. In Norway, fan groups have long criticized the time it takes for VAR reviews. The game loses its energy and flow while referees look at the screen for a few minutes. Yet as a result of these protests, the same thing happened. Some groups, including referees and players, might say that these protests have largely the same effect as VAR in that they slow down the game.

However, there are incidents that show the effectiveness of fan groups. In Sweden, the top leagues decided against using VAR because the clubs spoke out against it. Perhaps fans in Norway see this as the ideal solution to abolish VAR.

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