This is definitely not good news for Nigerian Referees as the Confederation of African Football, CAF has announced that referees in countries where Video Assistant Referee (VAR) systems are not used would not be given matches.

The announcement was made on Monday during a press conference of the CAF Technical Study Group, TSG at the Main Media Centre, (Palais de la Culture, Abidjan).

According to the TSG, the press conference is to discuss the tactical aspect of the games played so far at the ongoing TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Cote d’Ivoire which has reached the semi-final stage.

The leader of the TSG, Mr. Raul said, “I want to tell you that referees without VAR in their country will find it difficult to officiate.”

He however rated the referees officiating at the ongoing AFCON high. “The referees officiating at this year’s AFCON are the best in Africa. You must be at the highest level. Our goal is to put them at the highest level. Many of us believe our referees are corrupt.
The referees we have are at a high level and we are proud of them.”

The TSG members are: Sebastien BASSONG (Cameroon), Abdul Faisal CHIBSAH (Ghana), Edgar Watson SUUBI (Uganda), Clementine TOURE (Cote d’Ivoire), Joseph Antoine BELL (Cameroon), Herita ILUNGA (DR Congo), Abraham MEBRATU (Ethiopia), Michael AMENGA (Kenya), Emmanuel Adebayor (Togo), and Emmanuel Eboue (Cote d’Ivoire).

Presently, Nigeria is not using VAR for their league matches but the chairman of the Nigeria Professional Football League, NPFL, Gbenga Elegbeleye promised recently in an interview that VAR will be introduced this year in the league.