FIFA considering goal-line technology
Football’s governing body FIFA has launched a search to find reliable goal-line technology, which could determine whether or not a ball crossed the line within one second.
The International Football Association Board (IFAB), FIFA’s rule-making department, said it would re-open talks over the issue at a meeting on Wednesday, 20 October.
It is looking for companies to submit their proposals for the technology by the end of November, when it will begin to examine the various technologies through a rigorous testing phase. The IFAB will then meet again in March to discuss how to move the project
forward and how it could be initially implemented.
A statement released by the IFAB read, "The indication of whether a goal has been scored must be immediate and automatically confirmed within one second. The technology would apply solely to the goal-line, and only to determine whether a goal has been scored
or not. The system must be accurate. The indication of whether a goal has been scored will only be communicated to the match officials."
FIFA had discussed goal-line technology in the past, but the issue was dismissed in 2008 when it was determined that existing systems, such as the Hawkeye technology (widely used in tennis), or a microchip being placed inside the ball, proved to be too inaccurate.
But there have been several instances in recent months which have forced FIFA to reassess the introduction of goal-line technology. The most prominent of these was a clear goal by Frank Lampard in England’s 4-1 loss to Germany at the 2010 FIFA World Cup
round of 16 stage, which was disallowed by the match officials.
Following the incident, FIFA president Sepp Blatter declared that it would be absurd not to re-examine goal-line technology and referred the issue to the IFAB for discussion.
Tags: