Was the Kataka-Blacks Power referee right to use ‘VAR’ to rule out a penalty

FOOTBALL Was the Kataka-Blacks Power referee right to use ‘VAR’ to rule out a penalty

Fred Mwambu • 08:51 - 02.10.2023

After checking with the FUFA TV video team inside their outside broadcasting van, Waiswa returned and cancelled the goal.

FUFA referee Muzamir waiswa has landed himself in trouble after using a television replay to cancel a contentious penalty in the betPawa Big League match between Kataka and Blacks Power on Sunday in Mbale.

Waiswa had awarded a penalty to Kataka in the 85th minute after adjudging Ivan Okello to have handled the ball from Swamad Okur’s corner kick. 

Trouble ensued as the situation turned chaotic with Blacks Power’s players opposing the decision vehemently.

Waiswa, who seemed overwhelmed resorted to the video assistance to handle the matter.

After checking with the FUFA TV video team inside their outside broadcasting van, Waiswa returned and cancelled the goal.

The chairman Uganda Football Referees Association, Ronnie Kalema, says the act was against the laws of the game and that Waiswa will be forwarded to the disciplinary committee for action.

“You can’t use the [outside broadcasting] van as a VAR room, so the referee will be forwarded to the Referee’s disciplinary committee because we haven’t approved the use of VAR yet,” he told Pulse Sports.

He explains that “for any country to use VAR, FIFA has to approve it, and that has not been done yet for Uganda. The referees use the laws of the game that have been provided, of which we haven’t added VAR yet.”

Cheaper VAR

VAR was introduced officially in April 2017 and was first used in a match between Sydney FC and Wellington Phoenix in the Australia A-League.

The technology is used to review and make decisions on four key incidents during the match, including a goal, a red card, a penalty decision and a mistaken identity when issuing a card.

The technology has taken a long to be introduced to most nations because of the cost of acquiring, setting and maintaining it.

The Scottish Football Association estimated the cost of a standard VAR to be about $1.45 million (about UGX 5.45 B) per season for their 12-team topflight league.

Earlier in the year, FIFA president Gianni Infantino revealed that the soccer body is planning to invent a lighter version of VAR.

There are two types that have been invented and are under review: the ‘VAR Lite’, which will require at least 4-7 cameras, while those countries in dire state can use what he referred to as “VAR-zero” which needs only one camera.

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