VAR Misidentification Ruling Sparks Debate at World Cup but Won't Be Adopted in Israeli Premier League

During the recent World Cup match between Argentina and Switzerland, a controversial VAR decision involving players Leandro Paredes of Argentina and Breel Embolo of Switzerland has ignited widespread discussion. The incident occurred when the referee initially issued a yellow card to Paredes for a foul, but after consulting VAR, it was determined that Embolo had actually committed the offense and had been pretending otherwise. Consequently, Embolo received a second yellow card and was sent off, leaving Switzerland with ten players in a crucial phase of the game.

This expanded interpretation of VAR concerning "mistaken identity" is unique to the World Cup and will not be implemented in Israel's Premier League. In the Israeli league, VAR intervention in cases of mistaken identity is limited to situations where the referee issues a card to the wrong player among two players from the same team or when two opposing players commit the same type of foul simultaneously and the wrong player is penalized. The scenario from the World Cup, where one player committed the foul and another pretended to be the offender, does not qualify for VAR review under Israeli league rules.

UEFA has also not adopted this broader VAR interpretation used at the World Cup. Therefore, in the Israeli Premier League, similar incidents will not prompt VAR review unless the error involves two players committing the same foul type and the referee penalizes the wrong one. This distinction highlights the differing protocols between international tournaments and domestic leagues regarding VAR's role in correcting mistaken identity fouls.