Real Sociedad Demands Answers Over VAR Controversy
Real Sociedad have identified three errors in the penalty decision that shaped the Basque derby and are demanding a review of VAR protocols.
The controversy surrounding the Basque derby is far from over. Real Sociedad have issued a strongly worded statement criticizing Spain's Technical Committee of Referees (CTA) after the organization acknowledged a synchronization problem with the technology used during their 2-1 defeat to Athletic Club at San Mamés.
The Basque side insist that the incident cannot simply be explained as a technological malfunction. According to the club, three separate errors contributed to a decision that ultimately affected the result.
The controversy began when a penalty was awarded following a challenge by Jon Mikel Aramburu on Nico Williams. The decision was upheld by VAR, and Álex Berenguer converted the spot kick to secure victory for the home side.
According to Real Sociedad, the first mistake came from the on-field referee, who failed to recognize that Aramburu had touched the ball before making contact with the attacking player.
The second alleged error occurred in the VAR room. The club argue that the officials failed to properly examine all the available camera angles, which they believe clearly showed the defender's initial contact with the ball.
The Technology Failure Behind the Controversy
The third issue raised by Real Sociedad concerns the Connected Ball system, which uses sensors to register contact with the ball.
The CTA acknowledged a synchronization discrepancy of between one and two frames, equivalent to approximately 20 to 40 milliseconds, between the ball's sensor data and the video footage used by VAR.
Although the difference appears minimal, it proved crucial in determining which player had touched the ball first.
Following an investigation by Kinexon, the technology provider, the refereeing committee acknowledged that Aramburu appeared to have touched the ball and that the original penalty decision may have been incorrect.
However, the CTA defended the VAR officials, arguing that they made their decision based on the information available during the review.
Real Sociedad Demand Answers and VAR Changes
That explanation has failed to satisfy Real Sociedad, who believe acknowledging the synchronization issue is not enough without explaining how it occurred and why it went undetected.
In their statement, the club raised three fundamental questions: how the footage was reviewed in the VAR room, who is responsible for calibrating the system, and what safeguards are in place to detect synchronization errors before decisions are made.
Real Sociedad have also called for stronger audiovisual verification procedures and improved technological supervision to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Meanwhile, Athletic Club responded with a statement emphasizing the importance of respecting match officials, arguing that mistakes are part of football and that disagreements should not lead to campaigns of pressure.
The controversy raises a question that extends beyond the result of the Basque derby between Athletic Club and Real Sociedad: how reliable can VAR decisions be when technology and video footage are not perfectly synchronized?
Key Takeaways
- Real Sociedad have identified three alleged errors in the penalty decision that settled the derby against Athletic Club.
- The CTA acknowledged a 20-to-40-millisecond synchronization issue and admitted the penalty may have been incorrectly awarded.
- The Basque club are demanding stronger VAR protocols and improved supervision of the Connected Ball system.
