'VAR that killed Tottenham twice' finally explodes with Madison: "What are referees afraid of?"... Rooney also criticizes, saying "Technology dries up emotions"

*This content was translated by AI.

Tottenham Hotspur midfielder James Madison (30) strongly criticized video assistant referee (VAR), claiming that referees are afraid to make decisions on their own.

The UK's BBC reported on the 13th (Korea time) that "Madison vented his frustration at the referees and VAR after failing to win a penalty kick (PK) in the match against Leeds United."

Tottenham drew 1-1 with Leeds at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England, on the 12th in the 36th round of the 2025-2026 English Premier League (EPL) home match.

Tottenham, continuing their unbeaten streak in four consecutive matches (2 wins, 2 draws), sits in 17th place with 38 points (9 wins, 11 draws, 16 losses), just above the relegation zone. With only two matches remaining until the end of the season, they are only two points ahead of 18th-place West Ham, which is in the relegation zone with 36 points, leaving their survival far from certain.

Madison, who returned from an anterior cruciate ligament injury to play his first match of the season, was brought down by a tackle from Lucas Enmecha in the second half's added time. However, referee Jarred Gillett and the VAR room did not award a penalty kick.

After the match, Madison took to his personal social media (SNS) to express his grievance. He stated, "It wasn't Enmecha who lightly touched the ball to change direction; it was the outside of my right foot. I also informed the referee of this fact," and added, "But the VAR review ended in just 20 seconds. Referees are extremely afraid of making decisions directly on the field because of VAR."

This is not the first time Madison has criticized the referees. Last September, when Howard Webb, chairman of the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), applied the policy of 'minimizing VAR intervention,' Madison had already criticized them, saying, "The referees and VAR showed a shocking start to the season."

Local experts also joined the criticism. EPL legend Alan Shearer pointed out, "The standard of refereeing is the worst I have seen in recent times. The situation has worsened since the introduction of VAR." Former EPL defender Steven Warnock also evaluated that "VAR is the worst introduction in football." Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney criticized, saying, "Technology dries up the emotions of football."

As the controversy grew, the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) stepped in. Officials from major European leagues are scheduled to meet at a UEFA conference this summer to fully discuss ways to utilize VAR. Roberto Rosetti, UEFA Shim Pan-wi (Director), expressed concern, saying, "It seems we have forgotten the original purpose of introducing VAR."

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*This content was translated by AI.