Ghana achieves another milestone on the road to deploying VAR technology

The Ghana Football Association has announced the world football governing body, Fifa has approved a project team for plans to implement a video assistant referee technology in the country.

It is the latest step by Ghana to become the first country in West Africa to use the system.

VAR, first written into the Laws of the Game by the International Football Association Board (IFAB) in 2018, reviews decisions made by the centre referee by the use of video footage and communication headsets.

"World football governing body Fifa has approved the Project Team for the implantation of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) in Ghana," the GFA has announced on its official website.

"The decision was announced during a meeting held on Monday, April 12, 2021 on modalities for the implementation of VAR in Ghana. In the meeting, the Fifa Technical Team approved a project team for Ghana, which is the second key step in the implementation process of the Fifa approved VAR.

"A Fifa VAR Project Team includes Project leader and officers with knowledge in Legal, Information Technology, Communication, Finance, Competition/Monitoring & Research, Club licence and Security as well as Technical and Training areas."

The project team is led by former Ghanaian Fifa referee Alex Kotey, with support from the likes of GFA general secretary Prosper Harrison-Addo and GFA communications director Henry Asante Twum.

Caf's instructors in the team include Eddy Maillet (director of referees), Jerome Damon (Fifa/Caf VAR Instructor) and Desire Doue (Caf VAR Instructor).

"With the approval of the project team, a kick-off meeting will commence in three weeks’ time to approve the timelines for all the various teams in the full implementation of VAR in the 2022/2023 season," the GFA publication further stated.

"As part of the kick-off meeting, the team will have the opportunity to select and appoint the VAR Technology Provider for the project in Ghana.

"The Referee Department of the Ghana Football Association is working with their colleagues at Fifa for a smooth implementation and execution of VAR in our domestic competitions."

Morocco, Egypt and South Africa are among the few African nations to have used VAR, which reviews decisions on goals, penalties, straight red cards and mistaken identities.