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Soccer
Maddison says referees are petrified of decisions
TL;DR
James Maddison claims referees are 'petrified' to make decisions due to VAR, following a denied penalty appeal in Tottenham's 1-1 draw against Leeds. This was Maddison's first appearance of the season as a substitute.
Key points
- James Maddison suggests referees are scared to make decisions.
- Maddison was denied a penalty appeal in a match against Leeds.
- The match ended in a 1-1 draw, impacting Tottenham's relegation status.
VARJames MaddisonTottenhamLeeds
James Maddison came on as an 85th-minute substitute against Leeds for his first appearance of the season [Getty Images]
Tottenham midfielder James Maddison has suggested referees are "petrified" to make decisions because of the video assistant referee, after being denied a stoppage-time penalty against Leeds on Monday.
Substitute Maddison went down under Lukas Nmecha's challenge, but referee Jarred Gillett and the VAR dismissed his appeal for a spot-kick.
The match finished 1-1, leaving Spurs two points above the Premier League relegation zone with two games to play.
Maddison, 29, who was making his first appearance of the season after his return from an anterior cruciate ligament injury, wrote on his Instagram account: "For clarity… The small, tiny touch on the ball to change direction came from the outside of my right foot, not Nmecha, and I told the ref that.
"But the check was over in about 20 seconds. Officials are petrified to make decisions on pitch now because of VAR. We keep fighting. COYS."
It is not the first time Maddison has criticised referees. In September, he said referees and VAR "had an absolute shocker of a start" to the season after Professional Game Match Officials Limited [PGMOL] chief Howard Webb implemented a policy of "less intervention" for VAR in the Premier League.
Q&A
Why did James Maddison say referees are petrified of decisions?
Maddison believes referees are scared to make calls due to the influence of the video assistant referee (VAR).
What happened during the Tottenham vs. Leeds match regarding a penalty?
Maddison was denied a stoppage-time penalty after a challenge by Lukas Nmecha, which was dismissed by the referee and VAR.
How does the draw against Leeds affect Tottenham's position in the Premier League?
The 1-1 draw leaves Tottenham two points above the relegation zone with only two games remaining in the season.