FILE PHOTO: Chippa Siviwe Mpengesi during the prayer meeting after his child died. PICTURE: Ayanda ndamane
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0 PORT ELIZABETH: The referee did offer an apology, but the damage had already been done.
Chippa United’s chairman Siviwe ‘Chippa’ Mpengesi has called for the introduction of the video assistant referee (VAR) in South African football.
Mpengesi’s plea for VAR stems from his view that the Chilli Boys was unfairly denied legitimate goals in fixtures against Moroka Swallows and AmaZulu FC respectively in the DSTV Premiership. As a result, they drew 0-0 with Swallows and 1-1 with Usuthu, which did not sit well with Chippa United.
In accordance with the chairman, poor officiating resulted in the Eastern Cape-based club losing four crucial points. As the club lies in position seven in the log with 14 points the club thinks if it wasn’t for poor officiating they would be higher in the standings.
On Monday 30 October 2023, the United boss released a statement expressing his grievances about the officiating his club has been experiencing. Below are parts of Mpengesi’s statement geared towards football authorities in the country.
“In recent matches, outcomes for Chippa United FC have spotlighted the pressing concerns within the officiating system under SAFA’s stewardship. In our matches against AmaZulu FC and Moroka Swallows FC, two goals were disallowed which led the club to miss out on four pivotal points due to decisions by assistant referees.”
“Their role is pivotal to upholding the game’s fairness, and recent misjudgments underline a stark need for enhancement. As Chippa United FC, we are not asking for favours. Losing is part of the game, and usually, the most prepared team wins. However, even the best-prepared teams can be affected by unexpected decisions from match officials.”
“Reflect on the 2023 MTN semi-finals: with more accurate officiating or the presence of VAR, we might have witnessed a Kaizer Chiefs vs. Orlando Pirates showdown in the MTN final. The referee did offer an apology, but the damage had already been done. Such a colossal cup derby would not just be a landmark in South African sporting history, but it would also have provided a substantial economic uplift.”
“I do not speak just on behalf of Chippa United FC but every club from grassroots football to the premiership as each club has its own experience and unique story. Yes, the adoption of VAR requires a substantial investment from the PSL, but the repercussions of not having it both in terms of credibility and the overall quality of our game could be even more costly. VAR allows transparency and everyone’s involvement.
“It safeguards and takes away the burden from match officials on making uncertain decisions. While sports analysts dissect the decisions of match officials on TV, their insights, though valued, cannot undo the points lost or rectify the damage incurred by these decisions.”
Having been in France for the 2023 Rugby World Cup, which had to officiate heavily assisted by a bunker that reviewed decisions using technology also influenced Chippa’s call for technology to be introduced in football in order to aid officials in making the right calls so that results are fair on everyone provided that human error will not be a factor.
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