• Tony Scholes praises VAR and hails ‘significant progress’
• Other leagues ‘look up to match officials in this country’

The Premier League has defended the performance of its referees and VAR system, saying the rest of the world “look up” to English officials “as a model they would like to follow”.

The league’s chief football officer, Tony Scholes, reported on Tuesday a reduction in officiating errors and a decrease in VAR delays in the English top flight. His remarks came just over a week after the referee Michael Oliver received death threats after an apparent error in a match.