Madison, after missing a penalty in his season debut, angrily berated the referee for lacking decisiveness.

Tottenham Hotspur star James Maddison publicly criticized the referees after the crucial 1-1 draw against Leeds United in their relegation battle.

Madison believes that the excessive intervention of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) has had side effects, causing referees on the field to become hesitant and afraid to make decisions in crucial moments due to their over-reliance on technology.

After missing a long period due to an anterior cruciate ligament injury, Maddison made his first appearance of the season as a substitute in stoppage time of this game, but was tackled and fell to the ground in the opponent's penalty area.

Maddison insisted he touched the ball first and a penalty should have been awarded. However, referee Gillett and VAR dismissed the appeal in just about 20 seconds. This 1-1 draw leaves Tottenham just two points above the relegation zone with only two league games remaining.

29-year-old Madison angrily expressed his feelings on social media: "Refs are now hesitant to make on-court calls. That tiny change of direction was done by me flicking the ball, I told the refs, but the check was fleeting."

This is not the first time Maddison has publicly expressed his dissatisfaction. With the Premier League implementing the VAR policy to reduce intervention, not only players, but also many legends including Alan Shearer and Wayne Rooney have voiced their support, criticizing the current refereeing level as the worst in history and saying that the use of technology is robbing football of its most primal emotions.

Due to the overwhelming public outcry, UEFA has convened a special meeting this summer with top officials from Europe's top leagues. UEFA's head of referees, Rosetti, admitted, "I think we've forgotten the original intention behind introducing VAR."

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