Why is PSL dragging its feet with VAR technology?

Cape Town - Now proudly proclaiming themselves as having passed the billion rand mark in annual revenue, the PSL is less vocal as it skirts around the vital issue of implementing VAR technology to minimise the veritable epidemic of refereeing blunders that have blighted the Absa Premiership and other local soccer competitions recently.

When chairperson Irvin "The Iron Duke" Khoza recently revealed the PSL's increasingly healthy financial situation, he was less forceful in providing details on how the additional money flow is helping to implement VAR technology that is belatedly being introduced worldwide to minimise refereeing mistakes that can not only influence the outcome of matches, but even the destination of trophies.

And it sounded a lame excuse indeed when acting PSL CEO Mato Madlala, who invariably echoes Khoza's sentiments, suggested that the failure of clubs to own their own stadiums was the reason for the delay.

SAFA, also, as the controlling body under whose aegis the referees association operates, is critically involved in making moves on VAR.

In the meantime, the complaints from PSL coaches regarding refereeing mistakes is approaching close to a crescendo, with axed Cape Town City coach Benni McCarthy declaring that it was a number of these blunders that played a part in his dismissal - proclaiming after one particular defeat against Kaizer Chiefs that the referee could have "worn an Amakhosi jersey."

Bidvest Wits coach Gavin Hunt has supported the claim that wrong refereeing decisions can affect the careers of coaches and players alike "and while referees are only human and will make mistakes, everything should be done to minimise incorrect decisions."

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane is another who has not pulled his punches over the issue of referees, making the veiled comment "I hope we are not returning to the bad days of the 1980s" after the controversial loss of the defending PSL champions against current log leaders Kaizer Chiefs.

Highlands Park coach Owen da Gama, whose team suffered from one of the worst of refereeing mistakes when Orlando Pirates secured a victory over "The Lions of the North" via a goal that was three or four metres off-side, points out that "these are the kind of blunders that can be eliminated.

Billions of rands is, of course, admirable. But let's hope it does not amount to billions of mistakes before the PSL acts in implementing VAR!