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As South African professional football continues to mull over the implementation of the video assistant referee (VAR), as part of its readiness broadcast giant SuperSport recently tested its systems on the technology during Mamelodi Sundowns and Marumo Gallants' semifinals of CAF interclub competitions.
READ: Safa reaches out to Fifa referees boss to help implement VAR in SA football
No timeline has been given on when the VAR will be introduced locally but it is hoped the trial run could be next season.
However, the PSL's broadcast partner has declared its readiness.Speaking to City Press on the sidelines of the showcase of a new state-of-the-art outside broadcast van (OB van) on Tuesday, senior technical manager at SuperSport Prishen Govender said:
Govender was referring to Sundowns' Champions League semifinal against Wydad Athletic Club played at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria last Saturday.
READ: Tim Spirit | To Safa and PSL: It really doesn’t matter who implements VAR
Prior to that game, Gallants hosted Yanga of Tanzania at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg in the North West for the return leg of their Confederation Cup semifinal.
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Govender said in the past broadcasters used a lot of equipment to do production but they had now embraced the modern trends. He said:
The OB van, which is essentially a mobile studio, was imported from Germany.
Govender also praised the country's talented engineers. “It's fair to say that South African engineers are of world-class standards. That’s why they are being poached quickly to first world countries because we set high standards. Sometimes it’s not always noticed, that’s why we are having this open day.”
