The 96th minute, the ball dips down in front of Markus Rosenberg, he hits it, one touch, without stopping he runs, jumps straight into the stands, soon disappearing in the sea of Malmö-fans. One picture captures his head sticking up, one supporter planting a kiss on his forehead. The goal means 4-3, it positions Malmö FF to qualify from their Europa League group, with the last kick in his last home game it’s also the most perfect of endings for a player who 32 years earlier, at age five, had started his career in that very same spot where he now ends it. 

Now imagine that moment being interrupted for a VAR-check. Or even worse that goal being disallowed after VAR found a toenail to be offside. Luckily in this instance that didn’t happen, Markus Rosenberg did get his fairytale ending. But since the introduction of VAR in European football, players and supporters are constantly losing out on the emotions that this sport for over a century has brought, because can you ever be sure if a goal really is a goal anymore? And is this the type of football we want? 

We say it isn’t.

the members decide

The Swedish league is currently the only one of Europe’s top 33 leagues that doesn’t use VAR. The reason is simple, in Sweden we have something we call Membership Democracy. In 1999 a new sports law was enforced called the 51 per cent rule. It means that a Swedish sports association has to be owned by its members by at least 51%. Resulting in all Swedish football clubs being member-owned and making it impossible for any of them to be bought. Here the supporters own the clubs and in their turn the clubs own the league. 

So when decisions such as if VAR are to be introduced to the Swedish league, the clubs have to vote on it, and their votes are decided by their members. Malmö FF’s members as those of the majority of the Swedish clubs said no to VAR. As a result Malmö FF are today actively working against VAR in Swedish football. 

Membership Democracy is one of the most beautiful things we have in Swedish football and something Malmö FF value a lot. Anyone who is a member of the club can submit motions, make proposals or have a dialogue with the club. They can make a difference and have their voice heard. As an example, in 2019 an extraordinary annual members meeting voted in favor of reintroducing a women’s section at the club. While rejecting the suggestion of a merge with another club in a higher division, in favor of having the team start at the lowest level of women’s football in Sweden. With thet being believed to be the more organic route to take. 

Malmö FF’s women’s team today enjoy some of the best conditions for any women’s team in the country and has, since its start in 2019, won every division in order to reach Elitettan, the second highest division in Sweden, where they are currently playing with the aim of promotion to Damallsvenskan.