McKenzie gives SAFA 21 days to repay R13m VAR funds in dispute

McKenzie has given SAFA 21 days to repay R13 million allocated for the introduction of video assistant refereeing in South Africa. The minister said he would refer the matter to FIFA if the South African Football Association does not return the money within that period.

Speaking after the SA Sports Awards ceremony at Sun City on Sunday night, McKenzie said SAFA had requested the 21-day period after receiving his letter demanding repayment. He said he was angry because the association had not delivered what he had asked for.

McKenzie said FIFA’s regulations require VAR to be implemented through SAFA. Before allocating the funds, he took journalists, football administrators and members of the VAR research team to Spain and the United Kingdom to assess which option would be most suitable for South Africa.

He said the R13 million was the most he could provide in his capacity as minister. The dispute centres on the failure to proceed with the VAR plans after the money was allocated, although no further details of the project’s status were provided.

McKenzie also alleged that SAFA has wider internal problems and accused some officials of corruption. He said responsibility for the association’s difficulties is often placed on president Danny Jordaan, but argued that other people inside SAFA were obstructing the introduction of VAR.

The minister said he would identify those individuals in due course. He rejected the argument that taking the dispute to FIFA would amount to political interference and said he was willing to accept any consequences, including FIFA scrutiny of SAFA.