it is a stretch to say Salah initiates contact

Salah makes the first move to change his momentum and cut back. He has possession at this point. The defender starts dragging his foot and does touch the ball. The ball now bounces off Salah's other leg behind him. The two players now continue their existing momentum in opposite directions. Salah starts to turn his body to look for the ball behind him and the defender's foot drags through Salah's pivoting foot that is supporting all of his weight.

The Swedish referee that has been doing stories on the gram on all of these calls stated the difference was that the contact on the overturned goal was hard, and that the contact on the not overturned goal was soft. Is this really based on a slow-motion video determination of force? It does make one wonder, if the Salah contest happened outside of the penalty area would they be more willing to call this "soft" foul.

What was the instigating event that led to the VAR law being written this way? Is this all to prevent another Maradona Hand of God? Perhaps that juice is not worth the squeeze.