Goal-line technology awaits green light
Reuters - Thursday 05 July 2012, 03:00
A decade of debate over the use
of goal-line technology in football could finally end on Thursday
when the sport's rulemakers meet with an expected decision on
the prickly issue at the top of the agenda.
The International Football Association Board (IFAB) approved
goal-line technology in principle in March, pending the results
of extensive tests on the systems of two companies.
These will be examined at the meeting on Thursday at FIFA's
headquarters.
There are eight votes on the IFAB, with four belonging to
FIFA and one each to the national associations of England,
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, with a three-quarters
majority needed to approve a change in the laws.
Alex Horne, the general secretary of the English FA, said in
March: "We expect, following the conclusion of those tests by
EMPA [the Swiss testing laboratory], that one or more of the
companies will fulfil the criteria, and that we will be passing
that into the laws in July."
Since then, FIFA President Sepp Blatter has reiterated his
federation's support for technology following an incident at
Euro 2012 when a shot from Ukraine's Marco Devic appeared to
cross the line before being hooked clear by England's John
Terry.
"After last night's match, GLT [goal-line technology] is no
longer an alternative but a necessity," wrote the FIFA
president, previously an opponent of the idea but who performed
a U-turn following Frank Lampard's disallowed goal for England
at the 2010 World Cup.
Two systems have been tested, Hawk-Eye, a British one based
on cameras, and GoalRef, a Danish-German development which uses
magnetic fields.
The major opponent to goal-line technology is European football's governing body UEFA which on Saturday asked for the
final decision to be postponed.
UEFA President Michel Platini has put his faith in a
five-man refereeing team which includes two assistants on the
goal-line and could also be adopted by the IFAB on Thursday.