VAR technology not available for FA Cup semis – FAM

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PETALING JAYA – Video assistant referee (VAR) technology will not be available for the semi-finals of the FA Cup to take place at the end of June.

Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) deputy president and chairman of the Referees Committee Datuk S Sivasundaram said the referees and assistant referees need to undergo training for six months starting mid-June before the technology can be used in matches.

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However, he said football fans in the country are expected to have the opportunity to witness the implementation of VAR in the semi-finals or final of the 2023 Malaysia Cup scheduled towards the end of the year.

“Referee training (for this technology) will be conducted from June to November 2023 and they need six months of training.

“Perhaps our hope (to use VAR) is in the Malaysia Cup semi-final or final,” he said at a press conference after the 8th FAM Executive Committee Meeting at Wisma FAM here today.

FAM previously announced that VAR technology will be used in several important matches including the semi-finals and finals of the Malaysia Cup and this year’s FA Cup.

Earlier, Sivasundaram said as a result of today’s meeting, a total of 20 referees and 10 assistant referees from Category A and A1 were selected for training and commissioned as VAR referees in 2023.

He said the training will be focused on referee training, VAR simulator, live match training and recognition of VAR technology and stadiums that will use VAR.

“For VAR we are already in final stage and this is together with Malaysian Football League (MFL)…FAM and MFL have contacted five VAR technology supplier companies for the Malaysian league,” he said.

Separately, FAM also announced a collaboration with the energy drink company, Extra Joss to become the latest sponsor partner of the national football squad for a period of one year.- Bernama

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