FIBA General Secretary agrees with fans: VAR slows down too much the games
The International Basketball Federation Secretary thinks VAR pauses disrupt the flow of the games, making them too long.
FIBA General Secretary Andreas Zagklis, gave last Monday the usual press video conference, covering several topics including a possible expansion of NBA in Europe with the creation of a new European league, something he admitted to have been in their "radar" with conversations ongoing with NBA.
A new league in parallel with the Euroleague could be interested, but Zagklis has other things to worry, including a perceived worsening of the game due to Video Assitant Referee -VAR- that slows down the matches and makes them longer. Perhaps too long, sometimes over two hours for people to maintain interest.
"My opinion is that the game has slowed down a lot. If we are not on the edge, we are very close" he said, and talked about the possibility of FIBA changing the current policies regarding VAR, which grants managers the chance to ask for the revision of a play once, and twice in some countries.
"I think we will not extend the rule much further, but it is the technical commission that will decide", he said. "There has to be a balance between fair play, which can never be guaranteed 100%, and a good product for our fans, to whom we attach great importance", as reported by EFE.
This rule started on October 1st, 2022, and has garnered a bad reputation among basketball fans, similar and even worse than on football due to basketball being a much fast-paced sport.
