With the beginning of the 2020 Professional Football season in Paraguay, Mediapro began the implementation of the VAR technology (Video Assistant Referee), in charge of the company for the 2020, 2021 and 2022 seasons of the competition. The tournament includes 280 football matches, which are distributed on six fixture dates per weekend (two on Fridays, two on Saturdays and two on Sundays).

According to Mediapro, the company will cover the six football matches of each weekend, with three mobile units operated by two technical leaders, four operators certified by the International Football Association Board (IFAB) and two producers. In addition, Mediapro professionals have completed several trainings required by the Paraguayan Football Association (APF), as well as the certifications for the VAR’s operations.

Horacio Elizondo, Director of the APF Referees Commission, and Pablo Silva, VAR’s Director in Paraguay, explained at a press conference the most relevant points of the VAR implementation in the first five fixture dates of the championship. ‘Among the positive points, we highlight the quick adaptation of referees in the process of developing the VAR tool, as well as in the effectiveness of procedures. Another fact to highlight is the high efficiency of the VAR in goals; VAR is part of the arbitration and our aim is to offer  the best performance we can achieve’, said Elizondo.

Silva emphasized statistical data around the VAR implementation at the beginning of the competition: ‘Up to now, we have identified 53 crucial incidents, of which we distinguish 32 that were correctly confirmed. Thanks to this technology, there were 17 corrected mistakes and there were 4 uncorrected incidents’, he said.

In addition to Paraguay, where Mediapro also acquired the TV rights of the Paraguayan National Football Team until 2022, the company also provides services in leagues of Chile, Mexico and other Latin American countries, in addition to the United Arab Emirates, Greece, Kuwait , Morocco and Portugal.