Going beyond rules and regulations

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: Was umpire Andy Mair right in seeking information from the video umpire, and subsequently acting on it, about an infringement committed by an Argentinean player against a German in Friday’s World Cup match?

Strictly going by the regulations for this tournament and the general FIH tournament regulations (2009), he was not. “Referrals shall only relate to whether or not a goal has been legally scored.” So says the FIH tournament regulations for video referrals for the ongoing World Cup.

“The match umpires may refer decisions to the video umpire when they are not convinced that they have taken, or are able to take, the correct decision relating to the awarding or disallowing of goals”

The Scottish umpire, having apparently missed the shirt number of the Argentine who brought down a German forward, with his stick, inside his 25-yard area, sought the number from video umpire Colin Hutchinson, and after getting that information, promptly showed Ibarra the yellow card.

Indian official Muneer Mohammed, who was the judge for the match, explained that umpires had been told to take advantage of the video referrals to clarify their doubts without stopping play.