South Africa implements wireless communication in football

Africa’s topflight football league will soon become the first in the continent to introduce a wireless communication system for match officials.

The move awaits approval from by the Independent Communications Authority (ICASA).

South African Football Association Referees Committee chairman, Kirsten Nematendani, said the introduction of the wireless communication system will improve the level of match officiating in South African football.

“For far too long, our match officials felt and were considered as the step-children of Safa, but now with the new technology that we are introducing, that notion is out of the window and it’s now up to the match officials themselves to up their game.

“If we invest properly in our match officials, their results on the field will definitely improve,” he told media after the system was introduced on Friday after a match officiating worksjhop in Johannesburg.

The system has been mooted in recent years in the continent.

It is expected to enhance communication among the match officials therefore bettering match officiating standards.

Goodman Majola