McKenzie threatens FIFA action over SAFA’s R13m VAR funding

Sports minister Gayton McKenzie has given the South African Football Association (SAFA) 21 days to repay R13 million allocated for the introduction of video assistant refereeing (VAR), warning that he will refer the dispute to FIFA if the money is not returned.

McKenzie made the threat while speaking to the media after the SA Sports Awards ceremony at Sun City on Sunday night. He said he had provided the funding after SAFA failed to carry out what he had requested, and insisted he would do everything possible to recover the money.

“FIFA’s rules states clearly that VAR must be implemented through SAFA. I took journalists, administrators and the VAR research team to Spain and the UK for them to compare which option is the best one for us. I then allocated R13 million to SAFA – I can’t do more as the minister.

“I wrote SAFA a letter requesting them to return my money, they then asked for 21 days grace. I am angry because what else can I do.”

McKenzie said he had discovered a number of problems within SAFA and accused unnamed officials of corruption. He argued that the difficulties facing the association should not be attributed solely to its president, Danny Jordaan.

According to McKenzie, other individuals inside SAFA are influencing decisions and preventing progress on VAR. He described them as “rotten potatoes” who must be held responsible for their actions.

“All the problems at SAFA is blamed on Danny Jordaan, but there are people within that organisation that are gatekeepers and are corrupt, and they simply don’t want VAR to happen. What is stopping this thing, what is stopping VAR?

“I can tell you now it’s not Danny Jordaan, it’s other individuals there that are blocking this thing and I will name them soon enough.”

The minister said his demand for the money to be repaid followed his efforts to help SAFA assess the available technology and determine the most suitable option for South Africa. The delegation he arranged included journalists, football administrators and members of the VAR research team, who travelled to Spain and the United Kingdom for the comparisons.

Under FIFA’s regulations, McKenzie said, VAR must be implemented through SAFA. He therefore allocated the R13 million to the association, saying there was no further action he could take in his ministerial capacity once the funding had been provided.

McKenzie also rejected the suggestion that involving FIFA would amount to political interference in football administration. He said he was willing to accept the consequences of escalating the matter, including the possibility that FIFA could investigate or scrutinise SAFA.

The dispute comes as McKenzie continues to challenge what he believes are internal obstacles within the national football governing body. He maintained that Jordaan was not responsible for blocking VAR and warned that he would identify the individuals he believes are preventing the project from moving forward.