By Andrew Warshaw in Zurich
July 4 – Goal-line technology looks set to be finally be given the green light tomorrow despite fierce opposition from UEFA President Michel Platini.
Almost half a century after Geoff Hurst’s controversial 1966 World Cup goal for England, the International Football Association Board (IFAB), the game’s lawmakers, seem certain to give in to global pressure by choosing at least one system for determining whether the ball has crossed the line.
Two methods, the camera-based Hawk-Eye system used in tennis and cricket, and the Danish-German GoalRef development – which uses a magnetic field – are vying for approval following rigorous final testing at a series of live games over the past few weeks.
The IFAB, comprising FIFA and the four British home associations, have pulled back from the brink on numerous occasions but are now convinced the time has come to allow voluntary scientific aids to help referees avoid match-changing blunders.
FIFA President Sepp Blatter, once strongly against technology, changed his mind following Frank Lampard’s disallowed effort (pictured below) against Germany in the 2010 World Cup.
Blatter, who wants technology in place before the next World Cup in Brazil in 2014, reiterated his stance after Ukraine were denied a perfectly good goal against England in their final group game of the 2012 European Championship when John Terry hooked the ball back into play when it was already over the line.
insideworldfootball has learned that there is a strong likelihood that both goal-line methods – Hawk-Eye (cameras pictured below) and GoalRef – will be given the thumbs up, possibly with certain conditions attached.
It is also understood that “contentious debate” will be given about whether to continue with the rival scheme, favoured by Platini, of an additional official behind each goal-line – used both at Euro 2012 and in last season’s European club competitions.
One British official who will attend the meeting at FIFA headquarters here told insideworldfootball: “Nearly all the criteria for goal-line technology that hadn’t been met previously have now.
“I think we can expect positives.”
Jonathan Ford, chief executive of the Football Association of Wales (FAW), said his association will definitively vote in favour.
“We need to continue to assist referees in every way we can,” he insisted.
Although goal-line technology is likely to prove too expensive for smaller nations, the Premier League could be one of the first to take advantage.
Chief executive Richard Scudamore has already said it could be introduced by the middle of next season.
“We want to do it but you cannot rush something in a few weeks,” Scudamore said recently.
“We also don’t think that it needs to be at the start of the season.
“The fact we have got a better way of detecting it means there is some possibility of introducing it mid-season if we get it right.”
Platini believes it would be an “historical mistake” if technology replaces human judgement and that it would serve as a dangerous precedent in terms of spreading to video replays for other contentious decisions like offsides and penalties.
But the Frenchman has increasingly become a lone voice among opponents and suffered an embarrassing blow during England’s 1-0 win over Ukraine when the extra official, standing 10 yards away, failed to spot that Marko Dević’s shot (pictured above) was clearly over the line.
“Euro 2012 has shown what five-man refereeing teams can bring,” said a defiant Platini.
“People like to focus on one particular problem but five-man refereeing teams have been a deterrent and have cleaned up behaviour in the penalty area.”
But Ford told insideworldfootball: “There have been several examples of late which hopefully would have been corrected by goal-line technology.”
He made it clear, however, that IFAB officials were fully aware of Platini’s reservations.
“Everyone round that table will say they don’t want video replays,” said Ford.
“For our part, the Welsh FA have made it very clear that we don’t support technology other than goal-line.”
Contact the writer of this story at zib.l1735206764labto1735206764ofdlr1735206764owedi1735206764sni@w1735206764ahsra1735206764w.wer1735206764dna1735206764
Related stories
July 2012: Postpone goal-line technology decision, urges UEFA
June 2012: Dević’s disallowed goal was an “unfortunate mistake”, says Collina
June 2012: Goal-line technology is no longer an alternative but a necessity, insists Blatter
June 2012: Andrew Warshaw – IFAB giving the OK to goal-line technology cannot come soon enough
May 2012: Goal-line technology to be tested at England v Belgium international friendly