The Minister of Department of Sports, Arts and Culture Gayton Mckenzie has provided an update on the long-standing implementation of Video Assistant Refereeing being implemented in the Premier Soccer League (PSL).
There’s been calls for VAR to be implemented over the past three seasons over ongoing concerns of the standard of officiating in the PSL and suggestions that it’s been declining.
McKenzie had previously promised that the technology would be introduced by April last but later acknowledged that the system was costly and would require sponsorship backing but after the Soweto Derby last weekend he stated within ‘seven days’ an announcement will be made.
There was initially a proposed budget of an estimated R80-million for the full implementation, but McKenzie has now, in the DSAC Portfolio media briefing addressed what the future holds.
“I can’t enjoy football anymore, I’m a super fan of football but I can’t enjoy it, because whenever a referee makes a mistake, people look at me and ask where is VAR? We made a promise to move forward with the implementation of VAR,” he said.
“When this discussion took place, we were told to implement VAR in South Africa could cost us as much as R80-million, instead of rushing into the process, we met with SAFA and together with SAFA assembled the best referees as a technical team to evaluate all the options.
“That team was led by Daniel Bennet, working alongside Victor Gomes, Jerome Damon and Abdul Ibrahim, SAFA’s head of referees, the right people to do this – they assessed all the serious technology providers that works with FIFA and international football associations, to ensure South Africa aligns with global standards.
“DSAC was leading the process to make sure we implement VAR, but we can’t [implement] it has to be SAFA, so we’re working with SAFA and the CEO [Lydia Monyapao] who has truly been a star in working with us. We’ve also on the side, conducted benchmarking internationally, engaging in Spain, with Premier League productions in the United Kingdom.
“We met with the President of LaLiga [Javier Tebas], different people that makes sure what we deliver in South Africa next season is top class, I need to make an example – football is evolving, FIFA’s head of global development Arsene Wenger is in advanced discussion over the offside rule, so that a player would only be offside if his entire body is ahead of the defender, how will you see that with a naked eye?”
McKenzie further stated that his department has paid SAFA the necessary funds to implement VAR in the Premier Soccer League from next season.
“Football is not waiting for South Africa, luckily you have Minister and Deputy Minister is not slow, we’ve made sure everything is done, we’re ready and we’ve kept our promise of VAR! In my hand here, I have the proof of payment, that treasury has given us permission, we’ve given the money for VAR to SAFA, they must just pay.
“The department, McKenzie, can do no more. So I have kept my promise! I don’t want to hear somebody asking me where is VAR? I have done my bit, the DM has done her bit, we have given the money for VAR, we assembled the people, we have done the expertise. We have delivered on VAR.”
