A document analysis of VAR implementation and referee decision-making in Malaysian professional football
Abstract
Football is one of the most widely followed sports in the world, and decisions made by referees directly influence match results, perceptions of fairness, and the credibility of officiating. The Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system was introduced to improve decision-making accuracy and fairness by assisting referees in cases of clear and obvious errors. However, despite its implementation in Malaysian professional football, concerns persist regarding the consistency of decisions, referee authority, and the effectiveness of VAR procedures. This study aims to examine VAR implementation in Malaysian professional football by analysing official documents, including match reports, VAR records, regulations, and governing guidelines.
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Authors
Copyright (c) 2026 Widiya Habibah Shamsuri, Muhammad Faizal Kutip, Adanan Jamal, Nurul Ain Md Desa

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