Sweden sees itself as ‘leader’ over its rejection of VAR – Malmo chief executive

Sweden sees itself as a “leader” rather than in danger of being left behind over its rejection of VAR, the chief executive of reigning champions Malmo has said.

The country’s top flight, the Allsvenskan, is the only one of Europe’s top 30 ranked leagues not to use VAR as Sweden’s clubs oppose its introduction.

Wolves forced a vote on scrapping VAR at the Premier League’s annual general meeting in the summer, but the league’s other 19 clubs voted to keep it.

Niclas Carlnen, the chief executive of Malmo, is proud of the decision taken in Sweden.

Asked if proponents of VAR might see Sweden as risking being left behind, he replied: “Or we are a leader. We still have membership-owned clubs. The members make the decision.

“This is one of the great ways that you can show (the value of) membership at clubs, what difference they actually make for decisions and in effects – as you said, we are the only ones. You have authenticity in Swedish football.

“I can see the benefits (of not using VAR). When a goal is scored, you let the feelings go, you don’t have to wait for a decision at a later stage. Of course, that means you have to accept that the decision is not always right.

“In Sweden we have prioritised the feelings and the explosion that you have inside stadiums when you score.”

Carlnen said VAR could eventually arrive in Sweden – but only with major improvements.

“One of the main reasons that our members don’t like it is because of the delay of the decision. If you can take the delay away and become more accurate, then I think it’s a possibility,” he said.

Four out of five fans want to keep VAR? Can we see this "independent study" that, as far as we can gather, no-one knows about or has been given access to?