AFCON 2023: Referees Impress with Good Officiating as Fans Laud Use of VAR in Ivory Coast

• AFCON 2023 has offered many storylines that many did not expect
• Heavyweights like Ghana have struggled to register 'routine' results
• Amid all the drama, the referees have stood out with good officiating

The 2023 Africa Cup of Nations is barely halfway through, but it is already proving to be a tournament to be remembered by many generations to come.

From the host nation, Ivory Coast getting mauled 4-0 to big nations like Ghana and Egypt failing to conjure up decent results, this is precisely what CAF president, Dr Patrice Motsepe must have had in mind when he said this edition would be the best in the competition's history.

But the unsung heroes of the tournament have been the referees, their video assistants, and how the technology has been used in general across the five stadia in Ivory Coast.

AFCON 2023: Morocco Star Outlines Atlas Lions Ambition at the Tournament

Football

AFCON 2023 referees have impressed

The officiating levels have massively improved from two years ago in Cameroon where Zambian referee, Janny Sikazwe, bizarrely ended a game five minutes from time - twice.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) selected a group of 26 centre referees, 30 assistant referees, and 12 VAR referees to oversee the tournament, which ends on February 11.

African football journalist, Collins Okinyo, who is covering the tournament in Ivory Coast, believes the referees have outdone themselves this time around.

"The refereeing has been top-notch. We haven't had any complaints about the referees being effective and to the point," he said in an exclusive chat with Sports Brief.

Okinyo also lauded CAF for the improvements, drawing sharp comparisons to previous tournaments where questionable decisions were made.

"Unlike the previous tournaments, where we saw a lot of recklessness, the 2023 tournament has given us a glimpse of what is needed in football - stability. Once the referees make mistakes, fans lose confidence in the tournament. Congratulations to CAF for having the right people in charge."

Underachievers South Africa facing immense pressure, admits Tau

Football

AFCON incidents when VAR has been used

Communication between the centre referees and VAR officials has been prompt, with every decision being scrutinised.

A couple of teams have benefitted from the penalty calls after on-pitch reviews. Nigeria beat the hosts in round two via the penalty spot after a foul on Victor Osimhen had initially been missed.

The tournament also saw referee, Djindo Louis Houngnandande stand his ground and stick to his original decision. The Benin official was prompted by VAR to check the possibility of awarding Tanzania a penalty against Zambia, but after reviewing his decision, he reiterated that he had made the correct decision.

In terms of enforcing discipline, the VAR sent off Guinea's Francois Kamano for a dangerous double challenge on Cameroon's Frank Magri.

Fans reactions to AFCON 2023 officiating

The performance of the referees has earned CAF plaudits, with many asking top European leagues to borrow a thing or two. Just this past weekend, the Real Madrid clash against Almeria was marred by three controversial calls, while the referee's body in England, PGMOL, has offered apologies to clubs more than once this season.

SuperSport Make U-Turn on Broadcasting AFCON 2023 Matches Few Days to Kick Off

Football

"There’s been no case of bad officiating or VAR error since AFCON started. We don’t talk about this enough. The English Premier League needs to come and learn," said Asiwaju Lerry.

@PeakSanti said:

"Let's not allow the level of officiating at AFCON to go unpraised. The officials have been nothing short of excellent. 9/10 so far for me."

@Naledi_Aphane said;

"We also need to appreciate the brilliant officiating we've seen in this AFCON!"

In a tournament where underdogs have dared to dream and upset the status quo, the referees have similarly made a name for themselves. One can only hope that would be the same story as the tournament gets into its business end.

CAF to investigate Morocco vs DR Congo game

In other news, Sports Brief also reported that CAF confirmed it has launched an investigation into what happened at the end of Morocco's game against DR Congo.

Atlas Lions coach, Walid Regragui appeared to have an exchange of words with DRC captain, Chancel Mbemba, with both teams ultimately rushing onto the pitch.