Gayton McKenzie allocates R82m to bring VAR to South Africa’s top-flight
VAR gets closer Cameroonian referee Sidi Alioum checks the VAR monitor during the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations final between Senegal and Algeria in Cairo. Photo: Javier Soriano/AFP
Image: Javier Soriano/AFP
Gayton McKenzie’s Department of Sport, Arts and Culture has set aside R82 million for the implementation of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology in the Betway Premiership.
A number of high-profile officiating mistakes over the past couple of seasons have led to growing calls for VAR to be introduced in South Africa’s top-flight. These calls intensified following McKenzie’s appointment as sports minister, after he promised to take action.
Since being sworn into office, McKenzie has made it his mission to bring the technology to local football. However, the South African Football Association has consistently maintained that it did not have the funds to implement VAR.
Now, the first major step has been taken.
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“The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture [DSAC] is pleased to announce significant progress in the procurement and implementation of the Video Assistant Referee [VAR] system for South African football, in close collaboration with the South African Football Association [SAFA] and the Premier Soccer League [PSL],” McKenzie’s department said in a statement.
“This initiative aims to enhance the integrity, fairness, and overall quality of domestic competitions by addressing ongoing concerns over refereeing decisions that have led to fan dissatisfaction and could impact South Africa’s future standing among footballing nations if VAR is not adopted.
“Following SAFA’s recent update on the project to the Department, the following key milestones have been achieved to date: the publication of a Request for Proposals [RFP] for VAR technology, the receipt of responses from potential providers, and alignment with FIFA’s Implementation Assistance and Approval Programme [IAAP].”
The introduction of VAR in South African football would place the country alongside other leading nations that have already embraced the technology.. While challenges around cost, logistics and training remain, McKenzie’s commitment and the R82 million allocation mark a decisive step toward modernising the local game and restoring confidence in officiating.
IOL Sport