‘FIFA’s VAR needs improvement, expensive for Africa’

Ahmed Maude, former president of the Nigeria Referees Association (NRA) has said  that FIFA’s new technology Video Assistant Referee (VAR), currently used at the ongoing FIFA Confederation Cup in Russia needs improvement.
Maude said this on Tuesday in Abuja, following the confusion caused by the VAR in the match between Cameroon and Germany on Sunday.
The VAR is designed to enable  Assistant Referee to reviews decisions made by the head referee with the use of video footage and a headset for communication.
Maude  lauded the technology but said it would be expensive for Africa to purchase.
“It is a good technolgy but it needs to be improved on. FIFA needs to spot the lapses and work on them.
“It will aid referees make better decisions on the pitch and will enable fans understand whatever decisions made by the referee.
“Though at the moment, it will be expensive for Africa to introduce in their local games,” he said.
Colombian referee Wilmas Roldan initially brandished a yellow card to Ernest Mabouka of Cameroon for a foul against German’s Emre Can before VAR was used to reassess the incident in the match.
Following the review, Roldan upgraded the punishment to a red card but showed it wrongly to Sebastien Siani instead of Mabouka.
After a second look at the VAR, the referee eventually sends off Mabouka in a game the African champions lost 1-3 to the Germans.