Blatter wants goal-line technology

Frank Lampard’s wrongly disallowed goal against Germany at the 2010 World Cup prompted the IFAB to reopen the debate about goal-line technology [GALLO/GETTY]

FIFA boss Sepp Blatter has hinted at the use of goal-line technology at the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil if a suitable system can be found.

Blatter was speaking at the annual meeting of the law-making International Football Association Board (IFAB) in Wales on Saturday, confirming that tests on the technology would continue for another year.

“On goal-line technology, we will go on with the technical experiments and then bring this item back to the Ifab meeting next year in London when a final decision will be taken,” he said.

“If it works definitely, the board will say yes to the technology. And if the board says yes then there should be no problem to have it in 2014 in Brazil.”

Testing

Some 10 different goal-line technology systems have been tested but so far none has met the governing body’s standards.

No system will be in place for the 2012 European championships in Poland and Ukraine, although UEFA will be able to use five match officials at the finals.

FIFA has softened its stance on the use of goal-line technology since last year’s World Cup, when a goal scored by England midfielder Frank Lampard against Germany was wrongly disallowed.

“That was a blatant, immense error and the time came to re-open the discussion on technology again,” said Blatter.

He added: “However, I have to restrict my natural optimism and come a little bit back because the tests we have had so far are not conclusive.”

Further goal-line technology tests will continue in match conditions, but not necessarily in any official matches, over the next 12 months, according to FIFA.

Recent convert

Blatter had previously expressed his dislike for goal-line technology preaching the “universitality” of the laws of the game so that the same conditions apply at both the highest and lowest standards.

The English FA, one of the eight voting members of the board, were slightly unhappy that the testing was only extended, because they would have preferred the concept to be agreed in principle.

FA Chairman David Bernstein said: “We are encouraged by what we’ve heard today and the developments on technology are very positive.

“We might have liked to have gone a little further because we would have liked the principle of goal-line technology adopted.”

The IFAB, formed in 1886 is celebrating its 125th anniversary and is the game’s ultimate, famously conservative law-making body comprising officials from England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, plus four FIFA officials representing the other 204 football nations.

Any proposal needs six votes to be passed for either experimentation or becoming law.

In a separate ruling, the Ifab has banned players from wearing “snood” neck-warmers, effective from July 1.

“The IFAB agreed that in relation to Law 4 – Players’ Equipment, the wearing of snoods should not be permitted,” FIFA said in a statement.