Even though Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie vehemently proclaimed three months ago that he had secured R20-million from the National Treasury for the video assistant referee (VAR), the implementation of the technology has seemingly ground to a halt.
Information reaching Sunday World is that the treasury is not releasing the purported R20-million, and the South African Football Association (Safa) has not received a cent.
But yesterday, McKenzie moved quickly to quell the rumours and said that they will be channelling the funds to the national association in the next few weeks after meeting with Premier Soccer League chairman Irvin Khoza.
As things stand, VAR will not happen, as assured, in the semifinals and final of the Nedbank Cup – it also looks highly unlikely that it is going to be ready for the start of the next season.
Safa head of referees Abdul Ebrahim and members of the VAR project team, retired PSL referees Victor Gomes, Jerome Damon and Daniel Bennett, were still in the dark about the latest developments.
Ebrahim referred Sunday World enquiries to the project team, while Bennett said that they are not allowed to comment on VAR developments.
McKenzie told Sunday World yesterday, “Treasury has granted us permission to use R20-million in the current financial year for VAR. We met with Dr Irvin Khoza and discussed the best way forward, and he is awaiting a report on referees’ remuneration and training.
“A meeting is being arranged for next week for an official briefing and handing over of the report to the PSL and Safa.
“We dispatched a team abroad two months ago to go look at all various options, and I am delighted with the report they presented to my office. We hope to finalise everything in the next two weeks, regarding all outstanding matters in order to successfully introduce VAR next season. I understand the frustration of coaches and fans, but we have put in lots of work, and we wish not to cut corners,” McKenzie added.
On whether they have already dispatched the funds to Safa, McKenzie said the delay was simply because they are still working on training and remuneration costs.
“The team has been doing a lot of work, including flying to Spain and compiling reports. Money will be dispatched after meeting with PSL.”
The most worrying concern at this stage is that the PSL, the main consumer of the refereeing technology, will be reaching the business end soon, and referees are continuing to have nightmares during matches.
There was a referees’ refresher course ahead of the resumption of the second half of the Betway Premiership at Germiston Stadium last week, and some referees voiced their concerns regarding the lack of VAR.
Said our insider: “The referees are alleged to be concerned, saying that the game has developed so much and become so fast that it is becoming almost impossible to make right calls with the naked eye. Some of them are now scared of making mistakes because it affects their livelihoods.”
Just this past week, Kaizer Chiefs benefited from a dodgy decision from referee Moses Kheswa and linesman Tumi Mohlala after they defeated Golden Arrows 1-0 at the FNB Stadium. The referees awarded Amakhosi a goal that should have been disallowed when Aden McCarthy caressed the ball into the net from an offside position.
Arrows coach Manqoba Mngqithi was left fuming, saying players and coaches worked very hard only to be let down by referees.
He said that the PSL cannot continue to operate without VAR
Said Mngqithi after their loss to Chiefs: “It is high time the league looked at this thing differently. The game is too dynamic. It is very difficult for the officials to follow every movement.
“Even ourselves (coaches), we see it late, when we have had a chance to look at the video. You can’t expect the referee to remain in touch with everything that happens.
“We are not playing for R500 000, we are playing for R20-million, so we should be considering VAR.”
