While VAR had been widely praised during the opening few days of Euro 2024, it had its first controversy as Belgium suffered a shock defeat to Slovakia on Monday afternoon.
The pre-match favourites fell behind in a 1-0 defeat and star striker Romelu Lukaku had a tap-in rightly ruled out for offside.
However, the second time he found the net prompted greater debate with Jeremy Doku being judged to have handled the ball before beating a defender and finding Lukaku with a low cross.
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Just when it looks like Lukaku has finally done it, he has a second goal disallowed. This time for a handball by Openda in the build-up. Harsh?
📺 Watch on @rte2 and @rteplayer#Euro2024 pic.twitter.com/5XYkRZZV7m— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) June 17, 2024
New VAR technology which is designed to detect hand-to-ball contact via a sensor in the ball had been relied on for the first time, playing a key role in the goal being overturned.
The technology has prompted a strong reaction on social media, with some supporters lamenting the absurdity of the mechanism in what was not yet a clear goalscoring situation.
The contact between hand and ball was illustrated by a heartbeat-like reading on the VAR screen graphics when the official overturned the goal.
RTE panel lament controversial new VAR technology
Former Ireland internationals Kevin Doyle and Kenny Cunningham shared their disillusionment with the new mechanism while on punditry duty for RTÉ.
Doyle stressed his view that officials have lost sight of what VAR was originally intended for, while Cunningham wants to see it scrapped altogether.
Doyle: "VAR wasn't brought in for this. VAR was brought in for offsides, stuff on the goal-line, obvious handballs in the box.
"If it comes to Lukaku and he fouls or touches it with his hand (fair enough). He (Doku) is on the wing and still has to beat a defender.
"We are looking at a soundwave on a bloody screen to decided whether he has touched it with his hands or not. That is what it has come to."
Cunningham: "Take it out.
"I speak to people who say we can't get rid of it. Why not? Why can't we hold our hands up. Let's go back to where we were.
"Sometimes things go against you. You have got to accept it, suck it up and move on. I accepted it as a footballer."
Doyle: "Would you not be happy to keep it for goal-line and offside? My thing would be anything that happens in the 18-yard box. Anything after that, forget about it.
"Goal-line, offside, and anything that happens in the 18-yard box. Going back out to something that happened on the wing that was a soundwave on the ball and the ref was five yards away and didn't see it - that's crap."
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"Where does it end in the phases you go back? VAR wasn't brought in for this" - The RTÉ panel debate the handball decision that cost Belgium a point against Slovakia #Euro2024 pic.twitter.com/WiX81HvOJm— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) June 17, 2024
Scrapping VAR would be an unproductive move, given it did correctly rule out Lukaku's first score and has got plenty right in the competition thus far.
However, the new sensor technology has unsurprisingly caused a stir and one suspects it will continue to do so if relied on in such dubious circumstances throughout the competition.
