Manqoba Mngqithi defends standard of officiating in PSL | OneFootball

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Mngqithi comes to the defense of SA refs

Photo: Muzi Ntombela/ BackPagePix

Golden Arrows head coach Manqoba Mngqithi has stood up for South African referees, pushing back against the rising wave of criticism from fans and analysts over the standard of officiating in the PSL.

Match officials have been frequently under the microscope for controversial offside decisions, awarding questionable penalties, and some debatable red cards, among other contentious moments.

Importantly, Mngqithi has been a consistent advocate for the introduction of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology in the high-profile Betway Premiership.

Nevertheless, even with continued calls for VAR, the KwaZulu-Natal-born coach insists that the calibre of refereeing in South Africa is top-tier, rejecting any suggestions that the standard is subpar.

"I don't really want to get into debates about the standard of refereeing because, in my view, the quality of referees we have in this country is very high. The same referee who might officiate a match you lose can also handle a big game featuring other teams," Mngqithi explained.

"So, I don't even want to dwell on that. I don’t think it’s an issue of quality or capability. There might be other factors at play, but when it comes to competency, I believe our referees are up to the task."