Cyprus Football Association addresses concerns over VAR offside technology

Following recent protests from Nea Salamina regarding a disallowed goal in their match against Apollon, the Cyprus Football Association (CFA/KOP) has reissued public clarifications regarding the operation of VAR offside lines. The controversy stems from visual perceptions that the digital lines sometimes appear non-parallel to the pitch markings, leading to widespread skepticism among fans and clubs.

In response, the CFA reiterated guidelines originally published on February 26, 2025. The federation emphasized that it utilizes reliable technology and that the process for drawing offside lines follows a strictly defined protocol. According to the CFA, the VAR official identifies the attacker and the second-to-last defender, determining the body parts closest to the goal line, while the replay operator uses specialized software to finalize the visual result. President Charis Loizidis has called for calm, urging stakeholders to distinguish between actual technical errors and the tendency to use refereeing decisions as an excuse for team failures.

While critics argue that referees should be held accountable for repetitive or inconsistent errors, the federation maintains that the existing VAR software and professional procedures ensure accuracy. The issue remains a point of friction, with the CFA standing by its technological standards as the primary mechanism for resolving disputed match situations.