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Sepp Blatter, the President of FIFA, has confirmed that goal-line review technology would be embraced for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil should a reliable, technologically-sound system be found this year.
Could this mean that football is finally brought into the 21st century?
The statement is very different to Blatter’s comments during last year’s World Cup in South Africa, after Germany controversially defeated England in the round of 16.
Frank Lampard’s strike hit the crossbar, bounced down and clearly crossed the goal-line (by 60cm in fact) but it was gathered by Manuel Neuer the German goalkeeper, and play continued, despite protests from England’s players.
If this goal was allowed the score would have been 2-2, but instead, the match continued and Germany went on to win 4-1.
Following the match, an outcry from football fans re-ignited the debate about goal-line technology.
But Blatter consistently objected to the idea of introducing video technology to aid referees, putting the error down to “the human nature of our sport” in which we enjoy debating the finer points, and it’s “universality”.
Surprisingly though, stubborn Sepp has changed his tune, announcing over the weekend that “goal-line technology helps referees” and finally admitting that the Lampard no-goal debacle was a “blatant, immense error.”
FIFA have carried out several failed tests this year, but trials will continue throughout 2011 to search for a system that could decide disputed goals quickly and accurately in match conditions.
HawkEye technology or a microchip imbedded in the ball are just a couple of the options put forward.
Once an appropriate system is identified, it will then be brought to the International Football Association Board in March 2012, where the decision will then be made on whether it can be implemented at the next World Cup.
It’s about time!
Almost every other internationally competitive ball-sport uses some form of live review technology. But one of the oldest sports, with the most passionate supporters – football – still lags behind the rest.
Introducing goal-line review technology is a good first step, but why stop there? Many other areas of the sport seriously need to be looked at too.
Many of the most contentious goals scored in football history have not been goal-line errors.
Offsides, hand-balls and foreign objects that lead to a goal should be subject to review. I don’t think it’d be such a bad idea to also review fouls not seen by the referee, which prevents a player from defending the goal.
Think about it – the Tevez offside goal at the last World Cup; the Thierry Henry or Maradonna hand ball that led to a goal; the Liverpool vs Sunderland beachball incident which caused an upset against the Reds.
For goal-line technology or either of the aforementioned refereeing errors, if properly adapted to football, I believe a review method similar to the procedure in the NFL would be the best approach in terms of application.
Coaches could have the power to challenge goals, up to three times throughout the entire match. It’s fair, it’s quick, and it’s regulated to make sure the game isn’t stopped every sixty seconds.
It may slow down the match, but the decision will be right.
And that’s what really matters, Blatter.
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