😬 VAR Operator Caught Accessing Betting Site in Bulgaria | OneFootball

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.

We know that VAR sparks many comments, not only in Brazil, with people defending and many people attacking the video referee – wow, made of glass 😅.

But look at this story that happened in Bulgaria. A VAR operator was caught accessing... a betting site just moments before the start of the match between CSKA Sofia and Lokomotiv Sofia, valid for the 27th round of the Bulgarian Championship.

The episode generated an immediate impact, and the professional was suspended as soon as the action was detected.

Hawk-Eye Innovations, the company responsible for operating VAR in the Eastern European country, stated that the employee will be fired if his involvement in illicit activities is proven.

In a letter sent to Krum Stoilov, president of the VAR Commission of the Bulgarian Football Union, Hawk-Eye reinforced that its employees are expressly prohibited from engaging in any type of betting.

The company notified the operator's suspension and guaranteed that he will be removed from the function if the suspicions are confirmed.

Check out the company's statement on the case below:

"A live broadcast from the VAR operations room camera documented the individual using a personal smartphone during the match and appearing to engage in inappropriate activities that would constitute serious misconduct in relation to the responsibilities of their assigned function.

Hawk-Eye fully understands the seriousness of the incident and has initiated an immediate and thorough investigation into the matter, with the individual in question immediately suspended from all activities while this continues. If it is confirmed that the individual engaged in such inappropriate activity, we will ensure that they are fired in accordance with their contractual terms."

The incident occurred right at the beginning of the broadcast of CSKA Sofia's 1-0 win over Lokomotiv Sofia.

While video referees Volen Chinkov and Stoyan Arsov were being announced on the screen, the operator appeared handling a cell phone with a betting site open.

When he realized he was being filmed, he tried to quickly hide the device, but the attitude drew the attention of the broadcast and motivated the investigation.