Video assistant refereeing (VAR), which sparked controversy during the second leg of the African Champions League final, will be implemented from the quarter-finals of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.
CAF President Ahmad Ahmad confirmed that the technology will be introduced at this stage of the tournament as a precautionary measure. “When you see the different countries that use VAR, they don’t rush to go from the start. It’s a technology that many people are not yet fully using,” he explained, highlighting the need for careful implementation.
Initially, VAR was scheduled to be used only from the semi-finals, but CAF ultimately decided to introduce it earlier, starting with the quarter-finals, to minimize potential controversies. “Initially, it was planned for the semi-finals, but we demanded that we go a little further. The executive committee decided on the quarter-finals, so that it would be a success,” Ahmad added.
To ensure effective use of VAR, CAF may call upon experienced European referees to assist with video arbitration, guaranteeing that matches at this critical stage of the competition are managed with the highest level of accuracy and fairness.
