Spain's technical committee of referees is pushing further towards transparency over controversial calls. They have kept the "Tiempo de Revisión" programme for a second season running, but with one fundamental change: artificial intelligence will now select the cases that go under analysis.
The weekly programme reviews the most notable refereeing incidents across the first and second divisions and the women's league. Officials from the technical committee explain the decision taken and openly admit whether the referee got it right or wrong, drawing on the laws of the game and their interpretation.
Artificial intelligence selects the cases
Gone is the committee of former players and coaches, among them Fernando Morientes and Sandoval, who used to pick the cases worth analysing. That is the season's biggest shake-up.
Artificial intelligence will instead take on the job of identifying the most notable refereeing cases in each round, as Spanish newspaper "AS" reports.
According to the technical committee, the Spanish league association will select the incidents through an AI-based system, aiming to identify the most important cases in each round before the CTA carries out the technical analysis.
The committee reckons the new system will add greater objectivity, traceability of the selection process and transparency to the programme.
Even so, the CTA keeps the right to add another case of exceptional educational or training value if it deems it worth clarifying, provided it does so without excluding any of the cases the AI system has chosen.
Public acknowledgement of errors
"Tiempo de Revisión" continues weekly, dissecting the most notable controversial decisions in each round. The technical committee gets the space to own up to refereeing errors when they happen, as well as clarify the cases where the correct call was made.
Bosses see the programme as an educational project, one that brings refereeing decisions closer to fans, clubs, players and coaches rather than simply announcing a verdict without explaining the reasons behind it.
Expect the first episode to be delayed by two weeks, with the opening round of the league spread across 7 different days.
A more modern and clearer experience
The technical committee also revealed a refreshed look for the programme, leaning more heavily on explanatory graphics and audiovisual resources.
According to the committee, the new version will be "clearer, more dynamic and more engaging", using fresh visual tools that present the technical explanations directly and quickly, making it easier for viewers to grasp refereeing decisions.
The CTA insisted the essence of the initiative has not changed. It is about bringing refereeing closer to the clubs, players, coaches and fans, and strengthening understanding of the laws of the game and how refereeing decisions are made, under the banners of transparency, education and innovation.
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The referees launch a "controversy guide"
This drive towards transparency does not stop at "Tiempo de Revisión". The committee has also launched a comprehensive guide to controversial refereeing decisions that clubs, players, media outlets and fans can consult throughout the season.
Named "Card", the guide includes a wide range of refereeing cases explained in detail, with the option to watch explanatory video clips of some of them. It serves as a digital reference for understanding how the laws apply in different situations.
"AS" had earlier revealed the committee was ready to launch this guide, which is now available in digital form.
President of the Spanish federation: we want to strengthen trust
Rafael Louzán, president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation, said bringing refereeing standards closer to players, coaches, clubs, media and fans would strengthen understanding of decisions and raise levels of trust and respect towards the refereeing work.
Fran Soto, president of the technical committee of referees, stressed for his part that the initiative sits within the committee's desire to offer greater transparency over the work of the referees and the technical standards behind their decisions.
Soto called the publication of the guide an unusual step internationally. The aim, he said, is to share knowledge, explain the foundations on which refereeing decisions rest and bring refereeing closer to everyone involved in the game.