Toki Kolapo, Chairman, Osun State Referees Council, has applauded the officiating at the ongoing 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), in Cote d`Ivoire.
Kolapo who gave the commendation in Osogbo on Monday said: “The officiating has been very fantastic and I have no doubt in the ability of the referees and other officiating teams. They are doing a very good job.
“There are no lapses anywhere and, even if there is any, the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), is there to serve as a guide,” he said.
On the absence of Nigerian referees at the tournament, Kolapo said it might not be unconnected to lack of standard and modern officiating tools and gadgets available to them.
“I am not speaking on behalf of the Nigeria Referees Association (NRA). This is my personal opinion.
“Nigerian referees were not selected for AFCON because we lack some officiating skills due to lack of facilities.
“We lack some equipment, especially in terms of earpiece and microphone system that allow officials to communicate with one another in real-time during matches.
“We don’t also have the VAR machine in use during matches in the Nigeria Premier Football League. We don’t have the VAR technology in Nigeria yet, and these are gadgets needed in developing our referees.
“Nigeria referees are better off than some currently officiating at AFCON, but because we don’t have these gadgets that is why our referees are not rated,” he said. (NAN)
