Football may go hi-tech
Microchip technology to determine whether the ball has crossed the goal line will be used for the first time at the World under-17 championship in Peru, the International Football Association Board said.
Soccer’s law-making body, comprising the four British associations and four members of world soccer’s governing body FIFA, has authorised FIFA to experiment with the system at the championship in Peru from 16 September to 2 October.
FIFA president Sepp Blatter, a staunch opponent of using video evidence in matches, welcomed the use of the technology experiment which will involve a microchip sensor in a ball sending a signal to the referee when it has crossed the goal line.
“We had a duty to at least examine whether new technology could be used in football,” he said.
“The Board had already agreed to test goal line technology, provided that the systems were available.
“The critical issue however, will be to ensure that such technology would not affect the Laws’ universal nature or the authority of match officials.”
The “Smartball” system has been developed by Adidas and was trialed before members of the board at a private match between Nuremburg and Nuremburg reserves close to Adidas’ headquarters in Herzogenaurach on Tuesday.