By Lukanyo Tshitshi
The current chairperson of SAFA's referee committee and VP of CAF referee committee, Victor Gomes, Image: Sydney Mahlangu.
The former Premier Soccer League (PSL) referee now serving as the SAFA referees committee chairperson and Vice President of the CAF referee committee, Victor Gomes, has declared that due to well-developed broadcast set-ups in South Africa, the long-awaited VAR technology would not work.
In a radio interview with Robert Marawa of Radio 947, the now-retired PSL referee proclaimed that implementing VAR technology in South Africa would exacerbate the existing problems.
“I can tell you now that as the chairman of the referees Committee in South Africa, we
are not in for VR light and the reason being is because if we introduce VAR
light and the broadcaster has[have] other angles,
“We then look [into angles that referees have] for a cross of the goal line in or out and the VR officials do not have that image they cannot call a goal,
“But now a broadcaster who has got 30 cameras has [have] a [an] excellent image and now broadcasts the image and Mr Robert Marawa [supporters] posts a tweet on that image. People are going to say we do not trust VAR, VAR light is for those [who have] limited cameras and will not work in South Africa,’ said Gomes.
All of this arises from daily grievances from coaches, players, and supporters about PSL match referees' consistent errors in almost every game, which have impacted some football teams while benefiting others.
Pitso Mosimane, former Mamelodi Sundowns head coach, stated during his tenure at the Tshwane side in 2019, that football clubs in the PSL should simply accept terrible officiating and called the Premier League the "Jungle."
Years later, coaches and football devotees are still crying the same cry. Match officials are being suspended across the board, but there is still no better or improved officiating, according to social media users.
Last year, SAFA, the mother body of South African football, suspended four PSL referees: Luxolo Badi, Cledwin Baloyi, Tshidiso Maruping, and Simukele Jali, for making wrong calls that left clubs fuming.
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