Season in, season out, questions about the possible implementation of VAR in South African football are levelled against any football administrator and the answer over the recent years has been that “it is expensive”.
Honesty is the best policy, they say, but when it comes to the never-ending duel between two of South Africa’s most respected football administrators you are always left to feel like someone is not telling the whole truth.
This comes to mind as we read their recent contrasting reactions regarding questions about the implementation of the VAR (Video Assistant Referee) technology.
As the football season restarts, South African football lovers have yet again to take a pinch of salt to curb their excitement a little and brace themselves for another round of some poor refereeing, just like we’ve been witnessing over the years.
Season in, season out, questions about the possible implementation of VAR in South African football are levelled against any football administrator and the answer over the recent years has been that “it is expensive”.
Last month though, Premier Soccer League (PSL) chairperson Dr Irvin Khoza said they (the league) were ready to go ahead with the technology but the problem was the national association, meaning the Dr Danny Jordaan-led South African Football Association (Safa).
The contrast begins when you put it to the Safa president that the fingers are pointing towards his organisation regarding the installation of the technology. With Jordaan, the PSL and their television sponsor are the ones with the issues as they (Safa) have told them to “go off” in three successive VAR meetings.
Now “go off” may mean anything, but the simplest sense to it is that those who are told those words are the ones who have to go and get their house in order for any developments to take place.
One thing is clear now, though – it is not the expense that comes with VAR that is stalling its installation.
At some point in the not-so-distant past, instead of the broadcaster (SuperSport) the third main character in this script was said to be the municipalities who own stadiums.
Okay, we understand there are many players who have to be involved.
Not to label our elders as dishonest, but as things stand right now, we are left in the dark; are we ever going to see VAR in the now R900 million-sponsored Betway league, which is in the world’s best top 10?
Cape Times
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