Football’s lawmakers, IFAB, have issued a clarification regarding the application of VAR in ‘mistaken identity’ cases, specifically stating that a controversial sending-off during the recent World Cup was an incorrect use of the rule. However, FIFA has since pushed back, defending its interpretation and the decision made during the tournament.
The debate centres around the quarter-final match between Switzerland and Argentina, where Swiss captain Breel Embolo was sent off. The incident, which occurred with the score tied at 1-1 in the 72nd minute, saw Embolo receive a second yellow card for simulation. Initially, Argentina’s Leandro Paredes was cautioned, but a VAR review led to the yellow card being withdrawn from Paredes and instead issued to Embolo, resulting in his dismissal. This marked the first time a player had been sent off due to the ‘mistaken identity’ rule.
Argentina went on to win the match 3-1, eliminating Switzerland. Weeks later, on July 28, IFAB released a statement providing updated guidance for referees on similar incidents. Following a meeting with 55 European national football association chief refereeing officers, IFAB suggested that officials should only alter decisions deemed “blatantly incorrect.”
IFAB’s clarification on mistaken identity
IFAB explicitly stated that scenarios akin to Embolo’s would no longer justify a sending-off, concluding that the rule had been incorrectly applied during the World Cup. Their statement clarified the scope of VAR intervention in such cases.
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“A yellow card (caution) which is not a second yellow card can only be reviewed to identify the player who committed the offence that was penalised; the offence itself cannot be reviewed/changed,” an IFAB statement read.
FIFA’s defence and the ongoing VAR debate
Despite IFAB’s clarification, FIFA has maintained that its “interpretation” of the mistaken identity law was “consistently applied” throughout the World Cup. A FIFA spokesperson confirmed there were two instances during the tournament where a player was mistakenly identified for a yellow card offence, and VAR correctly advised a correction due to an opponent’s simulation.
A FIFA spokesperson, as reported by SPORTbible, defended the decision: “We do not consider this to have been a referee or VAR error, and the decision restored justice. We note IFAB’s comments in its Circular. We have been in contact with them throughout, and they confirmed that this interpretation is valid, that it was well received and that it will form part of the discussion on revisions to the VAR Protocol, as discussed at the last AGM.”
Adding to the wider discussion on VAR protocol, UEFA, European football’s governing body, also released a statement. It explained that refereeing chiefs had agreed to revert to the philosophy of “minimum interference – maximum benefit” for VAR usage. A detailed review of the VAR protocol was previously announced in Circular No. 32, indicating ongoing efforts to refine the system.
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