Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie has praised the efforts of officials from the South African Football Association (SAFA) and the Premier Soccer League (PSL) for their behind-the-scenes work to expedite the introduction of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology in South Africa.
Earlier this week, McKenzie called for an urgent meeting with both organisations following increased demands for VAR after controversial officiating in the Betway Premiership match between Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns.
The match saw Sundowns win with a disputed goal initially thought to be offside, and Chiefs were denied a last-minute equaliser due to a foul call.
On Friday, McKenzie met with SAFA President Danny Jordaan and PSL Chairman Irvin Khoza, and he also communicated with officials from the English Premier League.
“Significant progress has been made by both SAFA and PSL towards making VAR a reality. I reviewed the presentation and financial requirements, and I was also contacted by the team responsible for implementing VAR in the English Premier League,” McKenzie stated.
During the recent match, Sundowns took the lead with a goal that was initially flagged as offside, leading to Iqraam Rayners scoring the winning goal.
In the final moments, Kaizer Chiefs were denied an equaliser after Ignacio Miguel was judged to have fouled an opponent before scoring.
Although both decisions were later confirmed to be correct, McKenzie had already initiated discussions with SAFA and PSL.
One of the main obstacles to implementing VAR is the cost.
Training 16 to 20 officials is estimated to cost between R1.2 million and R1.5 million.
Additionally, the annual cost of using the technology is significant, with countries like Morocco and Egypt reportedly spending up to R23 million per season on VAR.
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