Technology comes closer to soccer with FIFA’s approval to use goal line technology in soccer games. Goal line technology enables technological assistance in finding if a doubtful goal is actually a legal goal or not. At the moment, there are two solution providers of this goal line technology: one is Hawkeye and other is GoalRef, and both of them have got FIFA’s approval at the moment. FIFA’s approval means these two systems can now be implanted in any league or competition provided both these systems do pass a final inspection test before their use. Predictably, FIFA club world cup, to be held in December, will be the first event to have this technology usage. A FIFA spokesman said on the occasion, “This milestone means that the companies now have authorisation to install their technology systems worldwide” said a Fifa spokesman.” Notably, international football association board (IFAB) has already added this technology into soccer’s rule book in July this year.
How these system works
As told, at the moment there are two goal line technology solution providers: Hawk-Eye and GoalRef, and both of them have different technology that works to ensure a goal is actually a legal goal. Hawk-Eye system, as its name suggests, uses three cameras focused on each goal; it uses triangulation to find out the exact ball location and sends encrypted signals to referee’s wristwatch. While, GoalRef system implants a chip inside the ball and creates a magnetic field around goals. When in action, it uses its chip to detect any change in the magnetic field to find out if a goal is scored or not. Despite FIFA’s approval, none of these systems can be used without a final inspection on the ground. FIFA spokesman told about this and said “Once a system has been installed in a stadium, the system undergoes a final inspection to check its functionality. This is carried out by an independent test institute, and the results of this so-called ‘final installation test’ must be successful. Only a positive final installation test qualifies a system to be used in official matches.”
The first commercial use of this technology will be the Club World Cup and then Confederations Cup in 2013 and if everything worked as planned, this technology can be used in 2014 FIFA world cup too. On the other side, Premier Leagues wants to use this system as soon as possible. They said they will consult with their member clubs to decide which system needs to be used and how its expenses will be segregated and capitalized.