Latest news with #VideoAssistantReferee
The South African
18-07-2025
- Politics
- The South African
'We ask Treasury to shift money to SAFA for VAR'
Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie has requested the National Treasury to allocate funds to the South African Football Association for the implementation of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system. For over a year, McKenzie has been promising to introduce VAR to help minimise mistakes in South African top-flight football. Last year, he announced that R80 million had been set aside for the project. However, in his latest update, McKenzie revealed that no money has been reserved for VAR. '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,' McKenzie told the parliament this week. '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,' he concluded. Earlier this year, Gayton promised football fans that VAR would be implemented in April, with a budget of R80 million set to be allocated. 'We could never pay for VAR without budget having been passed, that would have been corruption. We are in the process of asking Treasury to shift money to SAFA according to our budget. VAR is coming. The money is available,' McKenzie wrote on on X (Twitter) on Friday. Football fans were not happy with Gayton's latest statement, feeling that the minister had misled the nation when he 'promised VAR in April'. 'Different tune every week. Just simple tell us if PSL will have VAR this season or not? Why Bafana Bafana national sponsor Castle and HONOR come on board to sponsor VAR like what FNB do to rugby, they are behind TMO,' tweeted @mminakgomotrevo. 'Instead of taking responsibility, you're shifting the blame. It's a good thing that the budget wasn't approved. YOU said we would have VAR this season and didn't mention this budget part,' tweeted @baahlemsweli. 'VAR we won't use it this season, bafo, Gayton lied to us,' @peterbroggs tweeted. 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 Star
09-07-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Outstanding referees
PETALING JAYA: Refereeing standards in the 2024-2025 Super League season have significantly improved, thanks largely to the extensive use of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology, says Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) deputy president Datuk S. Sivasundaram, who also heads the FAM Referees Committee. According to Sivasundaram, the FAM Referees Unit conducted a detailed evaluation of officiating performances across the Super League, Malaysia Cup, and FA Cup. The review was drawn from Referee Assessors' reports, team complaints, and match video analyses. 'Referee performances this season were outstanding compared to 2023-2024,' he said. VAR was used in 208 matches, with only five official complaints recorded – four in the Super League and one in the Malaysia Cup. Sivasundaram highlighted that all reviewed incidents were handled accurately, with referees following VAR protocols effectively. According to the data, referees conducted 1,255 VAR reviews (excluding silent checks), including 101 On-Field Reviews (OFR). Impressively, the average additional time caused by VAR stood at only 1.96 minutes, significantly less than the 4.70 minutes added by on-field referees. 'This shows that VAR does not disrupt the flow of the game. A total of 647 goals were scored last season, all verified through VAR,' said Sivasundaram. 'Additionally, 64 penalty goals were also confirmed by VAR checks.' Crucially, the number of complaints in the 2024-2025 season dropped to 2.24% from 4.15% in the previous season. On-field decision accuracy also saw a dramatic increase, from 88.76% to an impressive 98.07%. He highlighted that VAR has not only helped improve decision-making but also elevated the overall standard of refereeing in the league. Sivasundaram proudly noted that FAM are the only football governing body in South-East Asia to implement VAR across all matches in the Super League, Malaysia Cup, FA Cup, and two Challenge Cup games, totalling 208 matches.
The Sun
02-07-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
MFL vows VAR enhancements for 2025-26 season after controversial debut
THE Malaysian Football League (MFL) has pledged to enhance the implementation of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system for the upcoming 2025-2026 M-League season, following a debut year marked by both praise and controversy. While Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) referees' committee chairman Datuk S. Sivasundaram described the inaugural season of VAR as 'excellent' — pointing to an average of 0.57 on-field reviews per match and a review duration of just 2.27 minutes — several high-profile incidents led to public criticism and disciplinary action. ALSO READ: Arif Aiman and Tommy deserve red cards - TMJ One of the most talked-about moments came during a Super League clash between Perak and Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT), which resulted in referee Razlan Joffri Ali and a VAR official being suspended for two matches and ordered to undergo retraining. In response, MFL acting chief executive officer Shazli Shaik said the league is taking proactive steps to improve the system moving forward, New Straits Times reported. 'To date, we've conducted two VAR briefing and improvement sessions. FIFA and AFC representatives also took part in these sessions,' he was quoted as saying. 'Last season was our first using VAR, and we've noted the shortcomings. We're working to implement those corrections for the upcoming season.' Shazli also confirmed that the full fixture list for the 2025-26 M-League campaign will be announced on Friday. On the regional front, Malaysia will have Johor Darul Ta'zim and Selangor representing the country in the Asean Club Championship. JDT, the reigning Super League champions, are also set to compete in the Asian Champions League (ACL) Elite, while Selangor will feature in the ACL2 tier. Meanwhile, newly promoted Super League side Immigration FC has been given until Saturday to confirm their home venue ahead of their debut in the top flight.
ITV News
28-05-2025
- Business
- ITV News
'Your items are offside': Tesco rolls out 'VAR-style' checkouts that record customers scanning
Tesco's new "VAR-style" self-checkouts have caused mixed reactions from customers, with the retail giant's latest effort to deter shoplifters being mocked on social media. The self-checkout system has been introduced into some stores, in line with a number of other retailers as the retail industry battles to contain a record rise in shoplifting. The new checkout system includes an overhead camera which records customers scanning and packing their shopping. Most customers will be used to the dreaded "unidentified item in bagging area" message but the new system, which uses AI technology, plays videos to the customer if they scan an item incorrectly. It also includes a message saying "the last item wasn't scanned properly". The AI technology has led to some customers and social media users joking that it is similar to Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology used in football. Replying to this video which has been shared across social media, some viewers commented that the milk was "offside". A Tesco spokesperson said: "We are always looking at technology to make life easier for our customers. "We have recently installed a new system at some stores which helps customers using self-service checkouts identify if an item has not been scanned properly, making the checkout process quicker and easier." But not all shoppers agree, with many sharing their thoughts on the new system on social media. One instagram user poked fun at the new system in a comment: "Careful if you've already scanned one yellow label, two and you're off!" But some customers are unhappy with the new changes. One person on X (formerly Twitter) said: "This is disgusting public shaming from #Tesco; simply avoid this supermarket that is too lazy to open more tills and staff them properly." Other social media users defended the new system, one saying: "If you have nothing to hide there's no reason not to use it - it's there to stop shoplifting and therefore keep prices down, so will benefit honest shoppers in the long run." Some people questioned whether it would be able to deter shoplifters altogether, asking: "How does this prevent people putting stuff in shopping bag when they take it off shelf?" How bad is retail crime? Figures from April show that retail crime is now at the highest levels ever since policing records began, with over half a million offences in the last year alone. Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed shoplifting offences had increased by 20% from 429,873 offences last year, to 516,971 this year. It was the first time half a million offences had been surpassed since policing records began in March 2003. But that number could be a drop in the ocean, because so many incidents are not reported by shopkeepers. Earlier this year the British Retail Consortium said theft had reached an "all-time high", with over 20 million incidents in 2023/24, costing retailers £2.2 billion. The trade association claimed that retail crime was "spiralling out of control" What are other retailers doing? Sainsbury's rolled out similar AI self-checkout technology across some of its stores earlier this month. While Greggs has announced it has had to remove self-service kiosks in some stores to try to fend off shoplifting. In at least five stores, sandwiches and drinks are now kept behind counters after a spate of thefts. Asda is trialling facial recognition technology in five of its Greater Manchester stores, in a bid to reduce retail crime. The two-month trial will see the faces of shoppers scanned from CCTV and compared to a database of "individuals who have previously committed criminal activity on an Asda site". If a match is found, Asda's head office security team will alert the store. Home Bargains, Southern Co-op, Budgens, Costcutter and several independent convenience stores use similar technology.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Tesco shoppers mock 'VAR'-style cameras at self-checkout
Tesco's introduction of AI technology to some self-checkouts has led to customers joking that it bears a striking resemblance to the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology used in football. The supermarket is aiming to reduce shoplifting by installing overhead cameras to identify when shoppers fail to scan an item properly, and then showing a live-action replay of the item not scanning. While some shoppers mocked the tech, others complained it was a step too far, with some saying they would not use self-checkout again. The move comes after shoplifting in the UK hit a record high in 2024. Figures from the Office for National Statistics show that shoplifting offences recorded by police in England and Wales rose 20% last year to 516,971. But the number of thefts recorded by retailers themselves is even higher. Figures from the British Retail Consortium suggest there were 20.4 million thefts in the year to last September, up 3.7 million on the year before, costing retailers £2bn. Tesco said it had rolled out the technology across some of its stores in a bid to help customers using self-service checkouts to identify if an item hasn't scanned properly. The supermarket said it would make the checkout process "quicker and easier". If an item fails to scan, customers are shown a video on the self-service screen of their attempt, accompanied by a message saying "The last item wasn't scanned properly. Remove from bagging area and try again." It follows a similar move by Sainsbury's, which has rolled out AI recognition technology at self-service checkouts at some of its stores. "We regularly review the security measures in our stores and our decisions to implement them are based on a range of factors, including offering our customers a smooth checkout experience," said a Sainsbury's spokesperson. "VAR Decision – Tuna Disallowed," joked one commenter on a video posted on Instagram showing the technology flagging an item that had failed to scan properly, which has had more than 3.5 million views. "Clearly off side," added another. But on Bluesky, a user voiced fears that the technology could open the door to more surveillance measures. "What's next? Drones to follow… you about the store?" On Facebook, another user said he would "not use self-checkouts" after the technology was introduced. The move marks the latest attempt by retailers to try to stem the rise in shoplifting. Tesco has also introduced giant trolley scales at its Gateshead store, which prompted a similarly mixed response from shoppers earlier this year. "Am I at border control or Tesco?" asked one Reddit user. Last week Greggs announced that it will move its self-serve food and drinks behind the counter at sites where there are high levels of theft. And in 2023, photos circulating on social media showed supermarkets had fitted products including steaks and cheese with security tags, while coffee was replaced with dummy jars. Shoplifting offences in London on the rise Shoplifters 'out of control' and becoming more brazen, say retailers
