The most talk about technological input in soccer has finally been approved for use by soccer’s global governing body FIFA, and after its go ahead signal, such a technology will officially be a part of 2014 FIFA world cup in Brazil. Broadly, there are four providers of this technology based on their own method and which one of them will be used is not yet decided. FIFA has planned to issue a tender asking all interested providers and then it will decide which one should be used finally. The ultimate chosen technology will then be used in summer’s Confederations Cup in Brazil before world up. If everything goes as planned, EPL has also promised to implement it from next season, and as expected, more leagues will also follow this innovative product of the twenty first century. There have been comprehensive debate over the issue in last few months about how such a technology can change the quality of the game; perhaps many legendry players showed their grieve over the use of a technology coz it will pressurize referees completely. On the other hand, there are also a good number of peoples who support this technology and finally FIFA has to decide in its favor despite its own president’s another opinion.
Available Technologies
For now; there are four systems available and each of them has its own features, like camera-dependent ‘Hawk-Eye’ system has already been tested in December’s Club World Cup, and similarly, magnetic field-based ‘GoalRef’ has also been a certified method to ensure authenticity of a goal. There are two more providers: one is Cairos, which is similar to GoalRef and has completed preliminary tests. Forth provider is still unnamed, but reportedly; it has also completed all formalities for being a licensed Goal-Line technology provider.
FIFA president Sepp Blatter has long been an opponent of using a technology that could reduce referees’ powers to take critic decisions, but after looking at controversial Lampard’s shot that bounced off the crossbar and visibly landed over goal-line in a 2010 World Cup match between England and Germany, he changed his mind. If goal-line technology was in place, it should have been a legal goal, but it was denied and England lost the game by 4-1. Moreover, if EPL also decides to use FIFA’s approved goal-line technology, it will need to pay a license fee to FIFA. Though, EPL organizers are still in talk with all clubs to make it happen.