SAFA opts for full VAR system over VAR Lite ahead of Portfolio Committee briefing

Bennet will conclude his trip in Madrid, Spain, with a visit to the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) headquarters, where he will observe a full VAR operation during a Spanish Segunda División match.

"When I get back on Monday, I will have an urgent meeting, because on Tuesday, there will be a portfolio meeting with VAR, likely to be one of the key points of the discussion, and so all of our ducks have to be in a row for that meeting."

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Bennett, who is leading a project team that includes SAFA Head of Referees, Abudl Ebrahim, Chairperson of the National Referees Committee, Victor Gomes, and CAF VAR Instructor Jerome Damon, says SA can’t afford to be behind the North African countries anymore on the implementation of VAR.

There have also been suggestions that SAFA and the Premier Soccer League (PSL) should adopt the VAR Lite, as Bennett calls it.

He’s totally against this, even if it means it comes on cheaper terms, as he feels that a league like the PSL should be associated with high standards.

Meanwhile, Quality Media President Pablo Reyes, who was instrumental in inviting the SA delegation to Spain this week, is no stranger to working with African Sports federations or on African platforms.

He tells SABC Sport that he was involved in several projects in Africa, and there’s a lot of potential on the continent.

Quality Media was recently part of the companies invited by FIFA to participate in the VAR meeting, as one of the seven recognised VAR suppliers by FIFA. 

Reyes says part of their bigger picture is also to train local production crews to impart knowledge.

"One of the things we are very committed towards is working well with our partners all around the world to create local employment and attract people to one of the most exciting innovations of the 21st century."