Using VAR In Liga 1 Just Wait For FIFA License

Indonesian referees are just waiting for a VAR license from FIFA (doc. PSSI).

JAKARTA - The application of video assistant referee (VAR) in Indonesian competition is only one step away. PSSI Referee Committee member Jimmy Napitupulu said the use of the technology was just waiting for a license from FIFA.

So far, FIFA has sent two instructors to monitor the process of testing the use of VAR in the country. Based on the recommendations of the two instructors from Egypt and Malaysia, Indonesian human resources (HR) are ready to operate VAR.

Although the local referee is declared ready to use VAR, it still has to wait for the license to be lowered from FIFA.

"We haven't got an approve (approval) from FIFA yet. Therefore, we are here to trial in the match. Later the video will be sent to FIFA," said Jimmy Napitupulu after a trial in Tangerang, quoted on Tuesday, March 26, 2024.

"So, later FIFA will send people to see firsthand how our referee practices are, whether it is appropriate to be given a license or not," he said.

According to Jimmy, Indonesian referees who take part in this VAR license must continue to receive training. If they are not trained regularly, they will potentially forget at the time of implementation.

"For this VAR, you have to keep practicing, for example, after the trial here is off, for example, for half a month, the memory is lost again. So, this must continue to be sustainable," he said.

Apart from that, the former FIFA referee believes that the quality of Indonesian referees is getting better. Jimmy believes the level of competition will get better and better under control.

"It's not about (the referee) going up the level, our competition has gone up to the level. We are still developing referees, the referee's improvement must continue."

"Evidently, our current chairman is from Japan. Our Head of Referee Department (PSSI) is a former AFC," said Jimmy.