First major European league to discuss scrapping VAR after official request

One of France’s best-performing teams has written a letter to chiefs demanding that VAR be scrapped, with the country’s football authorities now set to discuss the matter, it has been claimed.

Ligue 1 side Brest have become so furious with VAR that they have penned a letter to French football’s governing body demanding the system is discarded.

The alleged move comes after the club’s manager Eric Roy released an explosive statement condemning how the system was implemented.

French publication L'Equipe claimed Brest’s officials sent a letter to Ligue 1 organisers demanding VAR be removed from French domestic football.

Moreover, there will reportedly be a meeting between members of the LFP (Ligue de Football Professionnel) where the request will be discussed.

Brest’s letter is said to have had the backing of club president Denis Le Saint.

The club reportedly lost faith in VAR after they were defeated 2-0 by Monaco in November, with the game having been influenced by Lillian Brassier’s red card.

After the Monaco encounter, Roy took to social media and unleashed a furious rant about VAR.

He said: "My football hurts... A few days after our match in Monaco and trying to gain some perspective and perspective, I still can't find the words to describe the feeling of injustice and incomprehension that drove us.

"Consistency is the very essence for a relationship of trust to be established between those involved in the game, referees, players, and staff. However, too many situations are analysed in disparate ways.

"How and why does VAR refer certain game actions to the referee and not others? Why does he intervene to correct certain decisions and not others? Why does DNA communicate at the start of the season its desire to leave more room for play, to whistle less for minor faults and at the same time to cancel our first goal?

"Today, technology puts a lot of pressure on referees. From now on, matches are managed by VAR which can, according to the rules in force, influence the result of a match. It remains subject to the same problems of interpretation and subjectivity as before."

Topics: Football, France, Ligue 1, VAR

Chris Byfield

Sport journalist with experience writing on football, rugby, boxing and the Olympics. I'm also a Crystal Palace fan. Please don't hold this against me.