Netherlands: KNVB begin to train "video referees" and await green light from FIFA to start testing

The KNVB will begin training Dutch "video referees" from September 2015, the Dutch Federation announced on 04/08/2015. "We believe that video assistance is the future of football and we want to develop this technology. By beginning to train video referees, we can begin testing them as soon as FIFA give us the green light," said KNVB.

Video referees were tested by the KNVB in 34 Netherlands Cup and reserve team fixtures in the 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons, with the "Arbitrage 2.0" system. With this system, video referees are located in an operational vehicle outside the stadium and can watch replays of disputed actions. However, as of now, these video arbitrators can not intervene and inform the referee in the event of a bad decision.

The KNVB has requested the approval of IFAB, the body that controls the laws of the game, in order to conduct tests where video referees can intervene in the event of a bad decision at important moments within a game. "We have taken note of the experiments conducted in the Netherlands and the conclusions that have emerged have been included in the…