Chairman Irvin Khoza declares 'it is difficult to make a contribution' as PSL is uncertain on VAR affordability after broadcasting partner secures new owners

As the efforts to implement the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) gather momentum, Premier Soccer League chairman Irvin Khoza has raised issues that need to be resolved before taking further steps. 

Key to their concern is the funding model, and this uncertainty has been exacerbated after French media company Canal+ bought MultiChoice Group, PSL's broadcasting partners.

"Where we are as a league, it is difficult to make a contribution to this meeting. The money has been made available to implement VAR, but at this point, there are two bits of outstanding information we have not received yet, so that's why we won't be able to add value to this meeting," Khoza, the Orlando Pirates owner, said, as per SABC Sports. 

"It is very important for us to engage on these matters with the association and with the minister so that we err on the side of caution to make sure that we answer the questions the committee wants us to answer.

"The minister's statement on the 4th of September was good news, and we want to make sure that we follow up on that statement, but what currently makes us uncomfortable is that our funding model is very sensitive. Right now, we are funded by broadcast rights, which will now be owned by a new company. Whether the funding is still going to be there heading into the future, we are not sure. We are also not certain of every expense VAR will bring."

South African Football Association (SAFA) Head of Referees Abdul Ebrahim has also confirmed that the association is planning to hold a consultative meeting with the league body over the implementation process of VAR.

"A meeting needs to be held with all the necessary stakeholders who are going to be involved in VAR. Hence, the project team is doing all of its fact-finding at the moment so that when that meeting is held, all the information can be provided to all stakeholders - of which the PSL is a very important one," Ebrahim said. 

"We have to get the buy-in from the PSL, and that engagement still needs to take place."

Recently, senior advisor to the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, Charles Cilliers, revealed what the government's position is on which version of VAR they can afford. 

Cilliers and SAFA's new project leader for the VAR management team, Daniel Bennett, were among the delegates who made a trip to Spain recently for a VAR implementation familiarisation trip. During the visit to the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) headquarters, Cilliers stated that the cheapest and most sustainable VAR for PSL is affordable. 

"This was a trip that came up spontaneously. We heard about Daniel Bennett and his team, and then we met with him. We were here in April with the director general and the CFO of the department; the minister was here, and we were lucky enough to actually see some of the facilities," Cilliers said.

"It's expanded since then, and we are very excited since it's the second wave of VAR; it's a new kind of technology, and it's working off the cellphone networks, public internet basically," he added.

"It's going to work very well for us in South Africa if we can go with this option right now. Daniel and his team are looking at the different possibilities, but we're looking for what can be the fastest, the cheapest, and the most sustainable for us so that we don't have to invest too much in our infrastructure and we can get this thing up and running in the shortest amount of time."

Calls for full implementation of VAR in PSL have been growing louder, with stakeholders, fans, and even coaches hoping that this will improve the officiating level of the league.