The Norwegian top-flight match between Rosenborg and Lillestrom was deserted on Sunday after supporters threw tennis balls and fishcakes onto the pitch in protest towards the usage of video assistant referees (VAR).
The sport was interrupted on a number of events as objects, which additionally included smoke bombs, have been thrown onto Rosenborg’s Lerkendal Stadion area from each units of followers. Lillestrom supporters additionally held up a banner studying “We are going to by no means hand over, VAR will go away”.
The 2 groups returned to the dressing rooms twice and got here again out onto the pitch in an try to fulfil the fixture earlier than the match was deserted with solely 32 minutes performed.
A Rosenborg assertion learn: “We are able to verify that Rosenborg-Lillestrom has been cancelled following a choice by the referee and won’t be accomplished at this time.” Lillestrom added that “work is now being achieved to discover a new time for when the match shall be performed”.
GAME ABANDONED IN NORWAY AFTER FANS’ VAR PROTESTS. 📺
Tennis balls, flares & even FISHCAKES thrown onto the sphere at Rosenborg vs Lillestrom, prompting a number of stoppages & eventual cancellation. 🐟
Followers’ message is obvious. “We by no means hand over. VAR goes away!” 😤 pic.twitter.com/KJdLeB41uc
— Males in Blazers (@MenInBlazers) July 21, 2024
VAR was launched into Eliteserien, the Norwegian high flight, in 2023. The know-how had already been applied throughout Europe’s high divisions and utilised at main FIFA and UEFA tournaments, serving to enhance decision-making but additionally producing persistent controversy.
Followers throughout Norway have protested towards VAR since its introduction, with fan teams coordinating an en masse anti-VAR demonstration final yr. Golf equipment in Norway are all owned by their members.
Supporters have used their voices elsewhere in Scandinavia to object to the know-how. In Might, Sweden grew to become the primary nation to reject implementing VAR after fan backlash.
Supporter stress — golf equipment in Sweden should even be a minimal 51 per cent owned by followers — prompted the climbdown after the president of the Swedish Soccer Federation, Fredrik Reinfeldt, had beforehand backed the thought. Reinfeldt had permitted trials later this yr, however these will not go forward.
Final month, Premier League golf equipment rejected proposals to scrap VAR following a movement from Wolverhampton Wanderers on the league’s AGM.
GO DEEPER
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(Ian MacNicol/Getty Pictures)
