Jean-Baptiste Sarrazin
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8:30 p.m., February 07, 2023
The new strong man of football refereeing in France, Antony Gautier, revealed, in an interview with L’Equipe, the new major objectives of his governance. In a context where controversies around arbitration are multiplying on Ligue 1 grounds, the time has come for change for the new leader.
Often called into question this season in Ligue 1, arbitration must experience a radical turn. After the dismissal of the Technical Director of Arbitration (DTA) Pascal Garibian at the end of last year, it was Antony Gautier who put on this new shirt, heavy with responsibilities. Anyone who has practiced on the lawn for a long time knows the “law” of the field well and therefore the requirements expected by players, coaches and also by supporters.
Among the most intense criticism, the use of VAR but also the too many cards distributed by the referees. The last day of Ligue 1 was the perfect illustration of the tensions currently reigning on the lawns of the French championship. RC Lens was indignant after its draw against Brest (1-1), a match during which numerous refereeing errors were noted in a parody video published on the social networks of the Sang et Or club.
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(unfortunately already in stores…)#SB29RCL#VARpic.twitter.com/aE8zeXyeWU
— Racing Club de Lens (@RCLens) February 6, 2023
Future reforms
With the appointment of Antony Gautier, the clubs hope for a new less “repressive” and more educational arbitration. And that is what the new football DTA in France intends to set up. The latter intends to restore more transparency and re-establish a link between the players and the referees. “I want to make the operation of the VAR even more transparent, even if there is always a part of interpretation by the referee”, explained Antony Gautier.
During the Garibian era, the men in yellow were forbidden to express themselves. A time soon over with Antony Gautier. “The desire for openness is clear, everyone expresses themselves on all football subjects, the only actor who does not do so is the referee. I am in favor of speaking out but within a framework to be defined, in contexts requiring communication but with, upstream, training”, detailed the latter. The IFAB, the international body that governs the rules of the game, has just authorized, on an experimental basis, the referees to communicate and explain to spectators and television viewers their decision after watching the video.
Changes that can only improve relations between the protagonists on the grounds of Ligue 1 but also between the referees and the supporters.