A major first. This Sunday, April 12th, during the 29th matchday of Ligue 1 and the Lyon-Lorient match, the referee Benoît Bastien explained one of his decisions to the public live, thanks to the implementation of sound equipment.
This is not the first time that a referee has been equipped with a sound system in France, however, it is the first time that a referee has had the opportunity to explain a decision directly to the public in the stadium.
Indeed, the Professional Football League (LFP) announced last Thursday the experimentation for the first time in Ligue 1 of referee sound equipment, during the match between Paris SG and Toulouse on the 28th matchday of Ligue 1. But in that test match, the microphone was ultimately not used.
This time, the referee spoke to settle a potential penalty situation in the 68th minute. “After reviewing a potential penalty situation, initial foul by number 77 of Lorient. Final decision: no penalty (for Lorient), free kick (for Lyon)”, calmly declared Benoît Bastien.
This decision followed an initial foul by Panos Katseris on Alfonso Moreira in the box, which led to the fall of Bamba Dieng. OL, who had gone six consecutive matches without a win since their success against Nice on February 15th, ultimately won 2-0 and regained 5th place in the Championship.
Like in rugby, a referee heard by all
In rugby, referees have been equipped with a microphone for several seasons, and their exchanges with players are heard and commented on by the TV spectators. For several months now, crucial decisions explained by the referee are also broadcast in stadiums.
This practice is also of interest to the world of football. According to the LFP, referee sound equipment will “enhance the transparency and understanding of refereeing decisions.” With video assistant refereeing (VAR), the public has access to images, but cannot hear the discussions between referees on the pitch, which can create a lack of clarity.
In an interview with Ligue 1 +, Benoît Bastien personally expressed support for referee sound equipment. “I think it can be a very good thing, both for the spectator, the TV viewer, and the game actors,” he said. “Maybe it will offer camera angles that will help explain the decision made, because from one angle to another, decisions can sometimes be reversed and opposed,” he added.
