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The Serie A game between Inter and Torino had a team of all-female referees, but their moment was soiled by wrong advice from helpers in the VAR room
The Serie A encounter between Inter and Torino marked a historic milestone in Italian football. For the first time ever, an all-female refereeing team took charge of a Serie A match. Referee Maria Sole Ferrieri Caputi led the crew, supported by Francesca Di Monte and Tiziana Trasciatti.
The Controversial Incident
Despite the celebratory atmosphere surrounding the match, controversy ensued due to a contentious decision involving the Video Assistant Referee (VAR). Refereeing experts argue that Ferrieri Caputi had initially made the correct call regarding the Adrien Tameze incident during the game. Tameze's challenge on Henrikh Mkhitaryan, just outside the penalty area, appeared to warrant a yellow card, which Ferrieri Caputi duly administered.
However, the historic moment was marred when the male officials in the VAR booth intervened. Aleandro Di Paolo and Gianluca Aureliano advised Ferrieri Caputi to revisit the incident on the monitor and reconsider her decision. Despite Ferrieri Caputi's original judgment and clear view of the incident, she was persuaded to change her ruling.
Bemusement Among Refereeing Experts
The intervention of the VAR left many experts bewildered. Luca Marelli, a refereeing expert for DAZN, expressed confusion over the decision to upgrade Tameze's punishment to a red card. Marelli emphasized that the incident did not meet the criteria for a clear and obvious error or a denial of an obvious goal-scoring opportunity (DOGSO).
"I really don’t understand why the VAR would do that, it is not a clear and obvious error, and what’s more is not a clear scoring opportunity either, as the ball was going towards the corner flag, not the goal. It lacks the criteria for a DOGSO call," Marelli told DAZN.
Reactions to VAR gaffe
The incident sparked a flurry of reactions on social media, with many users drawing parallels to the concept of 'mansplaining.' The notion that a female referee was misled by male counterparts drew criticism and highlighted the challenges faced by women in traditionally male-dominated fields.
While the historic milestone of an all-female refereeing team in Serie A is commendable, the controversy surrounding the VAR's intervention serves as a reminder of the challenges women continue to face in football officiating. The incident underscores the importance of gender equality and fair representation in the sport's governance and decision-making processes.
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