AFCON 2021: Introduction of VAR has eroded lots of controversies from football – Nyantakyi gives FIFA, CAF a pat on the back

The introduction of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations is a move in the right direction, and will help do away with unhealthy controversies, doubts and arguments in the game, according to Kwasi Nyantakyi, former president of the Ghana Football Association (GFA).

The outstanding football administrator was speaking to Accra based Media General’s Onua TV, where he address several issues of concern in the game of football, notably, the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations set to commence in Yaounde, Cameroon on January 9. Asked of his opinion on the introduction of VAR in this year’s AFCON tournament by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) after its invention by the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA), the longest serving GFA boss in modern football terms spoke hugely in favour of the innovation, commending CAF for the good decision.

“VAR is a new thing”, Nyantakyi began. “People opposed it because it slows the game; some 15 seconds, 30 seconds and sometimes 1 minute before the referee will watch the playback video to determine whether the ball crossed the (goal) line or whether a defender’s leg was in contacted with that of a striker for a penalty. But I feel it has taken away lots of controversy from football”, he stated.

Backing his opinion with evidence, the astute lawyer cited two critical incidents which happened in the past at very crucial stages of football matches, which would have been a different issue if VAR had been in operation by then. Notable among his references are the Ghana vs Uruguay penalty incident involving Luis Suarez in the quarter final stage of the 2010 FIFA World Cup finals in South Africa, as well as a Victor Ikpeba penalty miss during the penalty shootouts which led to Nigeria’s defeat to Cameroon in the AFCON final in the year 2000.

“Let me give you a typical example. [The year] 2000 AFCON final – Cameroon vs Nigeria. Cameroon won the game because Victor Ikpeba ( of Nigeria) missed his penalty (during the shootouts after the 2-2 draw in regulation time). If it were these days where we have VAR like Victor Ikpeba’s penalty would have been accepted as a goal”, Nyantakyi explained.

For the records Cameroon won the penalty shootouts by 4-3 after Ikpeba and Nwankwo Kanu missed their kicks for Nigeria. Marc-Vivian Foe of blessed memory also was the only player who missed his kick for Cameroon, but won the year 2000 AFCON trophy with the Indomitable Lions before his untimely death in 2003, three years later.

Nyantakyi further noted, that the introduction of the VAR at the 2021 AFCON will also help curb issues regarding player simulations, which will prevent teams from winning matches through dubious means.

“VAR will erradicate issues of simulation so that we will see the real size (strength) of everybody, so that nobody wins matches through dubious means. So let’s commend FIFA and CAF for introducing VAR; it is very good”, he added.

Nyantakyi reigned at the helms of Ghana football as president of the GFA for 13 years (2005-2018). Under his leadership as the GFA boss, Ghana won, for the first time in Africa’s football history, the FIFA U-20 World Cup finals staged in Egypt in 2009. The senior national team, the Black Stars also had their best ever record at the world cup history till date, when they made it to the quarter finals of the FIFA World Cup finals staged in South Africa in 2010, where a controversial Luis Suarez handball incident at the last embers of the game denied Ghana what would have been a historic semi final birth.