Brazil's first division clubs voted against adopting the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), five months after the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) said they would introduce the review system in the top flight tournament. The CBF did not explain why the clubs voted against adopting the system but multiple media reports said the 12-7 vote to reject VAR was mainly down to cost. Installing VAR would cost each club around 1 million reais (around $300,000) according to Brazilian website globoesporte.globo.com. Instead, the CBF will pay to install the system for use in some Brazilian Cup matches.
"The use of video referees was addressed and the clubs decided it will not be implemented in the 2018 Brasileirao (the first division championship)," the body said in a statement.
The CBF had promised the system would be used in some league matches last September after Corinthians beat Vasco da Gama 1-0 thanks to a goal scored by Jo, who bundled the ball into the goal with his arm. At Monday's meeting in Rio, the clubs voted to allow synthetic pitches to be used in the top division and they also permitted each team to play up to five ‘home' games in states other than their own. Brazilian teams often play home games in distant cities, where they can make more money from gate receipts. However, the CBF stipulated that the option would not be permitted in the last five games of the season.
