FIFPro news
FIFPro counting on FIFA’s ‘goal-line’ promise
Wednesday 28 July
While the whole world is calling for the introduction of goal-line technology, the IFAB has decided to extend the experiment with additional referees. In October 2010, the IFAB will be meeting to discuss the possible use of goal-line technology. FIFPro expects that FIFA will then agree to its introduction in professional football.
The recent World Cup in South Africa saw an increasing call for the introduction of means to assist the referees. The reason for this was the two debatable goal incidents which occurred on the same day: an offside goal awarded to Carlos Tévez during the Argentina-Mexico game and the goal which was not awarded to Frank Lampard even though the ball had clearly crossed the goal line after his shot.
In the name of all professional footballers, FIFPro once again expressed its desire to see the introduction of goal-line technology in order to assist the referees in making debatable decisions and to provide the players and their fans with a game which is as fair as possible.
FIFPro’s position is partly based on the results of a survey which it undertook amongst all the clubs which participated in last season’s UEFA Europa League, which saw an experiment take place with two additional referees, one behind each goal. 70% of all the players surveyed responded negatively to the introduction of these extra referees, while no less than 90% said they were in favour of the introduction of goal-line technology.
Following the uproar which occurred after the incidents during the World Cup, FIFA president Joseph Blatter promised to discuss the possibilities of introducing goal-line technology at the next meeting of the IFAB. However, during that meeting it was decided that this discussion would be moved to the meeting being held in October 2010.
However, the IFAB did decide to also continue the experiment with extra referees in more national and international competitions, including those in Mexico and Rio de Janeiro and the UEFA Champions League.
FIFPro appreciates FIFA’s commitment to ensuring that matches proceed as fairly as possible. The world players’ union therefore expects that FIFA and the IFAB will agree to the use of goal-line technology in October.
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