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J2 League refereeing controversy and disciplinary action
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2026-10-29 21:54 UTC → 2026-11-01 05:43 UTC ·
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J2 League refereeing controversy and disciplinary action
Following a 0:1 defeat against Tokushima Vortis, Fujieda MYFC manager Tomoaki Makino publicly criticized J2 League officiating standards. Makino claimed the refereeing level was “dangerously low” following a disputed handball incident, suggesting such quality could damage the league’s reputation. His comments drew varied reactions from former players and public figures, with some calling for better technology like Video Assistant Referee (VAR) and others criticizing his use of media to attack officials. During the match, Makino received a yellow card for protesting to the assistant referee. In response to the controversy, the J.League issued Makino a two-match suspension and a 100,000 yen fine. The Japan Football Association (JFA) refereeing committee chairman, Kenji Ogitani, admitted that officials failed to make the correct decision regarding the handball incident. Addressing Fujieda MYFC issued an official statement noting that while the potential club respects the difficulty of refereeing, they intend to use the incident as a catalyst for discussions to improve officiating accuracy and the competitive environment. The club also requested that fans refrain from slander or excessive criticism directed at officials. Addressing technological solutions, J.League executive Shinji Kubota noted that implementing VAR Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology in the J2 League faces significant hurdles, including high hurdles. These include annual costs, costs estimated between 600 to 700 million yen, necessary stadium infrastructure upgrades, and a shortage of qualified officials. Specifically, implementing VAR would require increasing the total number of referees by approximately 40 people to cover the additional roles required per match.
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- 2026-11-01 05:43 UTC J2 League refereeing controversy and disciplinary action
- 2026-10-29 21:54 UTC J2 League refereeing controversy
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