South African referee Abongile Tom found himself at the centre of a VAR storm during the Africa Cup of Nations clash between DR Congo and Benin in Rabat earlier this week.
Tom is no stranger to controversy, having been involved in several high-profile refereeing errors in the Betway Premiership in recent seasons – incidents that have fuelled growing calls for the introduction of VAR technology in domestic football.
On Tuesday, players from Benin were left frustrated after a late handball in the 18-yard area could not be reviewed because the VAR system stopped working.
With time running out and Benin trailing 1-0, DRC captain Chancel Mbemba appeared to use his arm to block a cross into the box. Television replays were inconclusive, but Tom was unable to consult the pitch-side monitor due to the malfunction.
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It was the second major decision in the match that required VAR intervention. Earlier in the second half, DR Congo thought they had doubled their lead through Cedric Bakambu, but after a lengthy review, the goal was chalked off.
While the VAR failure itself cannot be blamed on Tom and his officiating team, the incident has inevitably reminded fans of several contentious calls involving the referee over the past year.
In Mamelodi Sundowns’ Betway Premiership clash against Siwelele FC in early December, Tom showed Teboho Mokoena a second yellow card for a dangerous tackle on Siwiwe Magidigidi. Subsequent replays showed that Mokoena made contact with the ball first, with only minimal contact on Magidigidi.
Then, in last year’s MTN8 final between Orlando Pirates and Stellenbosch FC, the Buccaneers were awarded a late free kick that was taken from the wrong position. As Stellenbosch players waited for the ball to be moved back, Tom waved play on, allowing Tshegofatso Mabasa to score and hand Pirates a decisive – and hotly disputed – advantage.
The episode in Rabat has once again placed the spotlight on both Tom and the broader reliability of officiating on the continent, raising uncomfortable questions about consistency, accountability and the reliance on technology that is not always fit for purpose.
While referees are often reminded that VAR is a tool rather than a crutch, incidents like this only deepen mistrust among players and supporters alike – and for Tom, a referee already under intense scrutiny, it is another unwanted chapter in a career increasingly defined as much by controversy as by control.
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