AFCON2023: AFRICAN REFEREES ENHANCING THE INTEGRITY OF VAR

The growth of football within the past century has witnessed several changes in its rules and regulations. The need to make it more attractive, safe, and health-friendly has remained the motive for these changes. Some of these modifications especially during the past three decades were tested and reversed in some cases, such as the sudden death rule, and in other cases, such as the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) rules, that was ratified. The (VAR), a modern technological innovation was put on mock trial for over an entire football season before its adoption and despite the outcry about its conflicting application in recent times, its use at the AFCON2023 competition in Cote d’Ivoire has been so far, commendable.

WHAT IS VAR?

Simply put, it involves the use of live television/video monitors to review the infractions during live football matches. It is managed by a human video assistant referee. Its use covers the following:

See: 4 categories covered by VAR

After several mock trials to solve refereeing errors, in 2018, the video assistant referee system was introduced, into the rules and regulations of football. It marked an important evolution to solve several irredeemable match outcomes which has caused pain to several fans and prevented football teams and players from achieving the results for their efforts. The entire nation of Northern Ireland was brought into mourning through Thierry Henry’s goal scored by hand. This goal prevented them from participating in the 2010 World Cup to the benefit of France. Luiz Diaz's goal for Liverpool against Tottenham Hotspur FC in the week 5 of the 2013/24 English Premier League, could have turned the outcome of the match, but the almighty VAR, thought otherwise. The conflicting interpretation of football rules and regulations, using VAR has also become another worrisome action. The wide broadcast of the English Premier League has begun to make VAR lose much of its integrity, resulting from its inconsistencies.

So far, the use of the VAR at the AFCON2023 has been impeccable and makes questionable its conflicting application in the English Premier League. With the better organized football league in England and the rest of Europe against the reverse situation, wherein African referees ply their trade in their country's football leagues where in most cases, VAR has not been put to use, it becomes evident that as enunciated elsewhere, there could be other reasons why its application is questionable in England!

The huge financial investments involved in modern football have made the outcomes of matches of great importance and the introduction of VAR was done to reduce the refereeing errors to a very marginal ratio. Could the money power of the betting industry be involved in the conflicting application of VAR? This question is important since the greatest outcry about its inconsistencies arises from the English Premier League, which is the biggest football league in the World!

African referees and their supporting VAR teams could be creating another revenue path for themselves if their impeccable performances continue throughout the entire competition. Engaging them in part-time work in the EPL might not be out of place but it would certainly amount to job losses for their counterparts in England, which the English Premier League Management would unlikely want to patronize.