By Bbc Sport

Copyright bbc

Referees could be replaced by artificial intelligence (AI) one day, reckons Livingston manager David Martindale.

Semi-automated offside technology has been around since the 2022 World Cup and Martindale is predicting further advances to reduce human error.

The Scottish Premiership is nearing three years of video assistant referees (VAR) but does not yet have goal-line or offside technology, with the cost proving prohibitive.

In May 2024, the Scottish FA’s VAR independent review panel (IRP) found 90.3% of on-field decisions were deemed correct, rising to 97.8% when including VAR interventions.

However, this season has already thrown up several VAR controversies, with Martindale saying there were “two or three really poor decisions” last weekend alone.

Livingston have returned to the top flight, having spent the last campaign in the Championship where VAR is not utilised.

“I’m not sure VAR is helping the game now,” said Martindale. “You’re using the footage, but it’s the personnel that’s then interpreting that footage, so that’s a big problem for me.

“I think I’m in a great position to speak about this because I was VAR previously, no VAR, and VAR again.

“What was the first goal this season? Falkirk, here and we score, and I’m running away, I’m up the touchline celebrating with my players, and I’m like, ‘you might not even get this goal’.

“That elation, the drop off, it’s terrible. Then by the time you’re given the goal, can you lose that moment? Is that not what football’s all about?”