Zambian referee Diana Chikotesha has hailed the advancement of technology in football, especially the improved and increased use of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) in the continent. Chikotesha says technology has helped improve officiating and made it easy for referees to easily judge matches.
The experienced assistant referee from Zambia is one of the most respected in the continent and made history last year when she became the first woman to ever officiate at a men’s AFCON final.
Speaking to Telecomasia.net, she says technology has helped make more fairer decisions especially in crucial aspects of the game.
Technology is here to stay and we need to embrace it. It is not easy for the fans especially when the VAR checks are long and some don’t have patience. But I can say, we need to accept and embrace it because even as referees, we are human beings and we can make mistakes. Technology comes in to correct the human errors and make the game better. We are continuing to embrace it in Africa and hopefully one day it will be fully implemented in our leagues.
The 36-year old Zambian top assistant referee is currently officiating at the Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) being co-hosted in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.
