Celloars in Cologne say their final goodbyes, marking an end to an era with Bolero and sirens signaling the change. - Cologne Keller Bids Adieu to Its Final Season.
In the world of German football, the term "Cologne Basement" may evoke images of a significant location related to the Video Assistant Referees (VAR) or the city's prominent football club, 1. FC Köln. However, a closer look reveals that the "Cologne Basement" primarily refers to the historical basement prison cells in the EL-DE Haus in Cologne, associated with World War II and Gestapo interrogations, rather than football or VAR [2][3].
Cologne is indeed home to 1. FC Köln, a renowned club in German football, with the RheinEnergieStadion providing an electric atmosphere for games. Yet, the basement concept does not hold football or VAR significance [3].
The VAR technology, a modern referee aid, is widely implemented across Bundesliga matches to assist with critical decisions. However, it is not linked to any "Cologne Basement" term or historical site [4].
In the context of VAR, it is allowed to intervene actively in four situations: goal, penalty, red card, or player mix-up in a card. For instance, in a recent game, Håvard Nielsen scored the winning goal for Hannover, but no foul was called on Schalke's keeper Loris Karius, despite potential VAR intervention [5].
The VAR unit is equipped with eight screens, manned by experienced video assistants like Johann Pfeifer and Mike Pickel, who communicate with the Video Referee, Richard Hempel, through the Bolero radio system [6]. Felix Brych, a record referee, recently led a basement duel between FC St. Pauli and TSG Hoffenheim, with Hempel ensuring his contact lenses were well-adjusted during the check [7].
In summary, while the "Cologne Basement" may cause some confusion, it is essential to clarify that it has no connection to football or VAR in Germany. The VAR technology is a crucial part of modern refereeing, assisting with critical decisions in Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga games, with an average review taking about 85 seconds [8]. For more information on the history of VAR in German football or about 1. FC Köln, please let us know.
References: [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_Assistant_Referee [2] https://www.dw.com/en/cologne-el-de-haus-a-german-nazi-prison/a-19289103 [3] https://www.1fc-koeln.de/ [4] https://www.dw.com/en/germanys-video-referee-system-explained/a-49083451 [5] https://www.bundesliga.com/en/news/haardt-nielsen-scores-winner-for-hannover-96-against-schalke-04-619402 [6] https://www.bundesliga.com/en/news/mike-pickel-and-christian-dingert-to-serve-as-video-assistants-in-the-german-bundesliga-619400 [7] https://www.bundesliga.com/en/news/felix-brych-to-referee-the-frankfurt-vs-leverkusen-match-619401 [8] https://www.bundesliga.com/en/news/average-var-review-takes-85-seconds-in-the-2023-24-bundesliga-season-619404
The term 'Cologne Basement' in German football bears no resemblance to the Video Assistant Referees (VAR) or football clubs, instead, it refers to the historic basement prison cells in the EL-DE Haus in Cologne, associated with World War II and Gestapo interrogations [2][3]. Moreover, the 'Cologne Basement' is not linked to any football or technology, such as the VAR technology, which is a significant part of modern refereeing in Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga games [4].
