PSL awaits Safa's 'signal' on VAR

PSL chairman Irvin Khoza has thrown the ball back into the South African Football Association’s court regarding the implementation of video assistant referee (VAR) system in domestic professional football.

Asked if the financial windfall from new sponsors Betway would help fast-track the system which helps eliminate match officials’ mistakes, Khoza sounded sceptical but pointed out that Safa would give signal as to what happens with the mooted arrival of VAR.

“In November 2022, we were ready to run a trial on VAR, along with [PSL broadcast partners] SuperSport, we were prepared to do a test run,” Khoza told yesterday’s press conference in Parktown, Joburg, where Betway was confirmed as the new title sponsor for the Premiership in a three-year deal worth R900m.

“The problem was that Safa told us there were only two people qualified to operate the system, so we could not go ahead.”

Khoza emphasised that the SuperSport proposal was now officially off the table, and the league would now await Safa to make a call on the matter.

“It’s off the shelf for MultiChoice now,” he said. “We are still committed to VAR but Safa said they will take over, which is correct because they own the referees. Even last month there was a discussion in the joint-liaison committee. We will wait for the signal from them.”

But in what could be read as a sign of where the PSL now stands on the matter, Khoza didn’t sound too excited about VAR, intimating the contentious system was not without errors.

“I don’t know after watching the Euro 2024 whether we still want to go there.

"There has been debate about (VAR) killing the excitement. You want to take away the human element to avoid finger-pointing. I’m not sure if it’s still attractive.”

PSL refs endured criticism in the past season from coaches and fans alike after questionable decisions, escalating calls for Safa and the league to expedite the implementation of VAR. The organisations previously haggled over funding of the system, and with the PSL now having lost DStv as a title sponsor, it remains to be seen whether it will ever take off.

Khoza, though, shot down suggestions the reportedly financially constrained MultiChoice could pull out of SA football altogether, as the broadcast company sponsors the reserve league and is a long-time league broadcast sponsor.

“We have just renewed our contract for five years for the DDC (DStv Diski Challenge), so no, they are not going anywhere,” Khoza responded.