A Document Analysis of VAR Implementation and Referee Decision-Making in Malaysian Professional Football

Widiya Habibah Shamsuri and Muhammad Faizal Kutip and Adanan Jamal and Nurul Ain Md Desa (2026) A Document Analysis of VAR Implementation and Referee Decision-Making in Malaysian Professional Football. Jurnal Evolusi, 7 (1). pp. 8-14. ISSN 2735-2234

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Abstract

Football is one of the most widely followed sports in the world, and decisions made by referees directly influence match results, perceptions of fairness, and the credibility of officiating. The Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system was introduced to improve decision-making accuracy and fairness by assisting referees in cases of clear and obvious errors. However, despite its implementation in Malaysian professional football, concerns persist regarding the consistency of decisions, referee authority, and the effectiveness of VAR procedures. This study aims to examine VAR implementation in Malaysian professional football by analysing official documents, including match reports, VAR records, regulations, and governing guidelines. The analysis focuses exclusively on secondary data sources, including official match reports, VAR review records, regulatory documents, and officiating guidelines related to VAR implementation in Malaysian professional football. This study employs document analysis as the primary research instrument. The instruments consist of a structured document analysis checklist and coding framework developed to systematically examine VAR implementation and referee decisionmaking in Malaysian professional football. Official match reports issued by the Malaysian Football League (MFL) for the 2024/25 and 2025/26 Malaysia League seasons, which typically range from 2 to 5 pages per match and provide formal records of match incidents, disciplinary actions, and referee decisions. In addition, VAR review records and post-match referee assessment reports produced by the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) were examined to evaluate decision outcomes, review processes, and referee performance feedback. Data analysis in this study involves a systematic review of selected documents related to VAR implementation and referee decision-making in Malaysian professional football. Official match reports, VAR records, referee assessment reports, and competition regulations are analysed using a structured document analysis checklist and coding framework based on the Laws of the Game and VAR protocol. VAR incidents are coded by incident type, review procedure, nature of the decision, and final outcome, enabling the identification of patterns and the evaluation of decision consistency and procedural alignment.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Video Assistant Referee (VAR), decision making, Laws of the Game
Divisions:	Faculty of Business and Accountancy (FABA)
Depositing User:	Mrs Shariffah Shuhaiza Syed Mohd Nor
Date Deposited:	07 Sep 2026 01:05
Last Modified:	07 Sep 2026 01:05
URI:	http://eprints.uptm.edu.my/id/eprint/6086

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