Tech trouble leaves Chelsea game ref without comms

During a Premier League match between Chelsea and Brighton at Stamford Bridge, referee Michael Oliver found himself without his communications pack for 45 minutes. This was likely the first time in 20 years that a set of officials had to work without radio sets. The referee, his assistants, the fourth official, and the video assistant referee (VAR) team at Stockley Park were unable to communicate with each other.

Referees were first equipped with a microphone and earpiece in the 1999-2000 season, but this did not become standard until the 2006-07 campaign. Issues with battery packs or communication links have occurred in the past, often leading to delays as technicians work on the devices. However, when it was determined that the situation was not salvageable, the officials had to resort to traditional methods of communication.

The crowd noise was not being filtered out by the system, making it difficult for Oliver, his assistants, and fourth official Tom Bramall to hear each other clearly. The VAR, Andrew Kitchen, faced an additional challenge as he could not communicate with Oliver to describe incidents like penalties or red cards. Instead, Kitchen had to rely on a backup system using messages sent to his watch, and communicate with Bramall using radio communication.

This meant that the VAR had to work based solely on his own assessment, without the referee's input. For a referee, carrying more equipment - including RefCam gear - might seem like an inconvenience, but it could have been a relief to go out on the pitch with a lighter load. The experience likely brought Oliver and his team back to their grassroots game beginnings.