Sports minister Gayton McKenzie says the PSL is fully aware of the impending implementation of the video assistant referee (VAR) system in the domestic game, despite last week’s claims that the league was in the dark about the process.
Speaking yesterday at the launch of SAB and Castle Lite as the official partners to global golf event LivGolf, which will be staged in the country in March, McKenzie said he had personally briefed PSL chairman Irvin Khoza about how the system would be implemented.
“I went to him first before engaging Safa,” McKenzie stated. “Dr Khoza fully supports VAR. This thing that he doesn’t is absolute rubbish. He was one of the first people to support me when I became minister.”
McKenzie’s claim seems contrary to Khoza’s stance last week when he led a PSL delegation before the sports portfolio committee hearing alongside Safa, when he said asking him about VAR was “like shooting in the dark”.
In what appeared to be another contradiction from the minister, McKenzie said: “He’s actually right. He couldn’t answer questions because we have yet to brief him on the progress. You can’t ambush him, so he was right to say he’s still waiting for answers.”
The PSL delegation which Khoza led, left last week’s parliamentary proceedings in a huff, leaving MPs to castigate Safa over the chaotic proposed implementation of the system that’s meant to improve officiating in the domestic game.
In spite of this, the ever-populist McKenzie said he was confident Safa and the PSL would speak with one voice on the matter.
“It will soon happen… they will speak with one voice. I support both Safa and the PSL. Do you want our football to be stuck in the old age? No, VAR is coming.”
McKenzie also weighed in on the recent criticism of Khoza by Black Leopards owner David Thidiela, who accused the PSL chairman of being a “dictator”.
“What nonsense is that? Dr Khoza is a consummate professional. He has built this league and made us one of the best in the world. Our players were getting R1,000 for being man of the match, but he changed that. The reason our national team is doing well is because of the Diski Challenge (reserve league), which fields mainly local players, and Dr Khoza is responsible for that.”
The money-spinning LivGolf, which features some of the top players in the world, will descend on Steyn City in March after a three-year contract, spearheaded by McKenzie, was sealed.
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