According to L’Équipe, Antony Gauthier, 48, the director of refereeing, admitted that Clément Turpin, 43, should have sent off Monaco’s Lamine Camara, 21, for his violent tackle on Lucas Chevalier, 24, during the Monaco/PSG match. This admission reignites criticism of VAR’s effectiveness in such clear-cut fouls.
“The liaison committee between professional clubs and referees met this Monday afternoon. At this meeting, according to our information, Antony Gauthier, the director of refereeing, admitted to his counterparts, who were meeting via videoconference, that Clément Turpin should have sent off Monaco’s Lamine Camara, who committed a violent foul on Lucas Chevalier, the PSG goalkeeper. He only received a yellow card.”
Antony Gauthier’s admission of error has the merit of being clear, but above all, it highlights a deep-seated problem: what is the point of a VAR system incapable of intervening in such a dangerous tackle? The action on Lucas Chevalier was unambiguous: studs up, speed, lack of control… the kind of move that would make any referee trained in serious foul play jump out of their skin.
Yet, neither Clément Turpin nor the video assistant referee deemed it necessary to initiate a review, even though the protocol specifically requires it to protect the players. This is where the problem lies: errors can be acknowledged every Monday in liaison committee meetings, but if procedures are not tightened, if VAR remains hesitant about the most dangerous actions, these shortcomings will be repeated. Top-level football demands uncompromising standards, not post-match regrets.”
