‘Where Is VAR?': Gayton McKenzie walks back promise ahead of PSL season
Image: Itumeleng English/Independent Newspapers
Get your news on the go, click
here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel.
Video Player is loading.
Play Video
Play
Unmute
Current Time
0:00
/
Duration
-:-
Loaded :
0%
Stream Type LIVE
Seek to live, currently behind live
LIVE
Remaining Time
-
0:00
This is a modal window.
Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.
Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque
Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps
Reset
restore all settings to the default values Done
Close Modal Dialog
End of dialog window.
Advertisement
Video Player is loading.
Play Video
Play
Unmute
Current Time
0:00
/
Duration
-:-
Loaded :
0%
Stream Type LIVE
Seek to live, currently behind live
LIVE
Remaining Time
-
0:00
This is a modal window.
Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.
Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque
Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps
Reset
restore all settings to the default values Done
Close Modal Dialog
End of dialog window.
Next
Stay
Close ✕
'So people, stop asking me where VAR is. I have done what I promised to do. There's nothing more I can do. The money is the most important [thing]. SuperSport assisted us, so next season there will be VAR. Let's give SAFA a chance to finalise. There will be VAR in our soccer in South Africa.'
McKenzie's statements over the last year have led to soccer supporters understanding that the technology would be rolled out soon, but his comments in a parliamentary vote speech earlier this week suggested that VAR may not, indeed, be coming to the PSL.
'We are also finalising the process of funding VAR to ensure that football matches, from the Premier Soccer League through to the international fixtures we host, are fairer and meet global standards,' he said on Tuesday.
'It is a necessity. We see stadiums vandalised when bad refereeing happens, and the success of teams like Mamelodi Sundowns makes global teams want to play here, but they get second thoughts because we don't have VAR.'
While he did not explicitly say, 'VAR won't be ready next season,' his comments in Parliament have left football fans thinking they've been lied to over the last year. McKenzie sounds like he has overpromised and underdelivered.
IOL Sport
* The views expressed are not necessarily the views of IOL or Independent Media.
** JOIN THE CONVERSATION: Send us an email with your comments, thoughts or responses to iolletters@inl.co.za. Letters should be a maximum of 500 words, and may be edited for length. Anonymous correspondence will not be published. Submissions should include a contact number and physical address (not for publication).
Get your news on the go, click
here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The South African
24 minutes ago
- The South African
Orlando Pirates news: Rele Mofokeng transfer, R44 million offer?
Orlando Pirates winger Relebohile Mofokeng has been the subject of transfer speculation, but will he leave the club? The 20-year-old superstar has been linked with moves to the Premier League, La Liga, the Saudi Pro League, and teams in Israel. After three impressive seasons, many believe it is the perfect time for Mofokeng to make a move to Europe. Earlier this month, his attacking partner, Mohau Nkota, signed with Saudi Pro League side Al Ettifaq after just one season in the PSL. 'For Rele, I think he needs to continue doing his work the way he has been doing,' said Nkambule said as per KickOff. 'The years still allow him. It's not like it was his last season or something. He still has a big chance, he can still play another 15 years to 20 years. 'He just needs to relax and play football. If you check the profile of Rele and Nkota, it's not the same. 'Rele's profile is stronger than Nkota, that's why I think it won't affect him that much because Nkota has left,' he added. With Nkota leaving for Saudi Arabia this transfer period, Nkambule said Mofokeng won't be allowed to join any other club as he is valued. 'But if you check he's going where, Saudi Arabia, it's not like he went to Europe in top five leagues. 'Rele is a star player and the face of Orlando Pirates now and for him to leave it won't be easy because for Nkota (Ettifaq) to negotiate with Dr Khoza was maybe easy, but for Rele, he's going to want a lot of money. He's special that boy,' said the former Chiefs star. This week, Soccer Laduma reported that Israeli champions Maccabi Tel Aviv were willing to splash R44 million on the winger. With nearly two months until the transfer window closes, Pirates have all the time in the world to listen to better offers for Relebohile Mofokeng. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
The South African
7 hours ago
- The South African
Bafana Bafana squad for CHAN tournament announced
The South African Football Association (SAFA) has published Bafana Bafana's squad that will play in the CHAN tournament. The 2024 CAF African Nations Championship (CHAN) tournament will be played from 2-30 August in East Africa. The finals will be hosted in three different countries – Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda – to see their readiness for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). It will be the first time three different countries get to host this tournament at the same time. The opening match will be played in Tanzania while the third/fourth playoff will be staged in Uganda. Kenya will host the final. Now, coach Molefi Ntseki has opted for experience more than anything, giving the majority of unattached local players a chance in his Bafana Bafana squad. The likes of Zakhele Lepasa, Keagan Dolly, Phillip Ndlondlo who recently parted ways with Pirates, Wayde Jooste, Rowan Human and Thabiso Kutumela have made the cut. Ntseki included FIVE Mamelodi Sundowns players in Neo Maema, Terrence Mashego, Malibongwe Khoza, Kegan Johannes and Ntandoyenkosi Nkosi. It is unclear as to whether or not the five players are in Miguel Cardoso's plans for the upcoming season which gets underway on 1 August. Bafana Bafana squad for CHAN finals. Image: @BafanaBafana/X Bafana Bafana are in Group C alongside co-hosts Uganda, Niger, Guinea and Algeria. Group A consists of co-hosts Kenya, Morocco, Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia. Finally, Group B has Tanzania, Madagascar, Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic. Let us know your thoughts by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
TimesLIVE
7 hours ago
- TimesLIVE
Bayanda Walaza claims Universiade sprint double; last-gasp gold for Smith
Bayanda Walaza claimed the sprint double at the World Student Games in Germany on Thursday as he lifted the 200m crown to add to the 100m title he won earlier in the week. His performance concluded a dramatic night of track and field for South Africa where Aiden Smith snatched the shot-put gold with his final throw of the competition. Walaza, the double sprint king from the 2024 under-20 world championships in Peru, exploded out the blocks with his trademark lightning start and he worked that advantage through the bend into the home straight where he kept his lead to cross the line in 20.63sec, seven-hundredths of a second in front of Spaniard Adria Medero. It was 12 years since Anaso Jobodwana won South Africa's first Universiade sprint double. In the men's shot put, left-handed Smith was languishing well outside the top three with a best throw of 19.23 when he stepped into the circle for his final throw of the night, finding more than an extra metre to claim first place at the death. The mixed 4x400m relay team of Mthi Mthimkulu, Precious Molepo, men's 400m champion Lythe Pillay and Marlie Viljoen won silver ahead of the US, clocking 3min 16.42sec as they ended behind Poland. And Mondray Barnard bagged third place in the men's 110m hurdles in 13.59sec to miss silver by a few thousandths of a second. Earlier, Walaza won his 200m semifinal in 20.76, just one hundredth of a second in front of Medero. It was the second fastest time of the semifinals, with Korean Lee placing first in his heat in 20.73. But it was the South African who found the right gears in the final. Colette Uys, bronze medallist in the women's shot put, ended sixth in the women's discus with a best release of 57.50m. Charné Swart-Du Plessis was sixth in the women's 800m. In the women's 400m hurdles, Hannah van Niekerk was unable to keep up with the leaders of a fast race, slipping back to seventh in 58.02. Even the 56.16 personal best she set earlier in the competition would have earned her only fifth spot. Karmen Fouche ended eighth in the women's hepthathlon, matching the position her mother Maralize Visser achieved at the 1997 edition of this showpiece in Sicily, with fewer than 20 points separating them. Fouche amassed 5,783 and Visser 5,765. Gabriella Marais, who won the women's 100m bronze, was unable to progress beyond the semifinals of the women's 200m. South Africa was lying seventh on the medals table with 16 medals, comprising six gold, three silver and seven bronze.
