By Andrew Warshaw
February 26 – One of the first companies to offer a system for goal line technology is back in the fray after being granted a license by FIFA – and has joined the race to be selected for next year’s World Cup.
For several years Cairos tried unsuccessfully to persuade football’s lawmakers to use their product in collaboration with sportswear manufacturer Adidas.
It was trialed unsuccessfully but the latest system, no longer linked to the sportswear firm, is similar to that of GoalRef, based on magnetic fields with sensors that are activated when the ball crosses the line.
As well as GoalRef, Cairos – now named Cairos Technologies AG and the parent company of Impire AG – will also go head to head with Hawk-Eye, the camera-based British system used in a variety of other sports and now owned by Sony.
“Cairos has met all of the requirements set out by FIFA for its goalline technology … which passed all of the test criteria, and was subsequently granted an official licence by FIFA for goalline technology,” said a statement by the German firm.
Quoted by iSportconnect, it added: “Now that we are officially licensed we are also bidding to be the official goal line technology provider. The system is 100% accurate; even if the ball is covered completely the Cairos GLT System will decide correctly.”
Last week FIFA re-affirmed that technology would be employed at the World Cup in Brazil as well as this year’s Confederations Cup. Any system used must send a signal that a goal has been scored to the referee’s wristwatch within one second.
Details of how Cairos’ product differs from GoalRef’s are still to be defined publicly but the company said theirs was foolproof in any weather conditions. “This makes it unique. Also, the system has only a minimum impact to the stadium infrastructure. The cables are not visible. The standard goal frames can be used as well as the standard goal net. The goal line technology of Cairos can be installed in just a few days and is ready to use directly after the installation.
“Cairos/Impire has a long time experience in servicing top-level football teams and leagues. More than 1500 matches every year are being tracked, scouted, tagged and analysed in real time.”
“Of course we are very pleased the FIFA decided to implement a goal line technology at the World Cup since we have been working on a system since 2000 and our system was already in action at the Club World Cup 2007 in Japan.”
The Cairos system was tested by the independent Swiss institute EMPA and then at two German stadiums between December 18-20 last year, just around the time Hawk-Eye and GoalRef were installed but never needed at the FIFA Club World Cup in Japan.
Interestingly, Cairos now resumes its longstanding rivalry with Hawk-Eye. Both were evaluated – and rejected – when goal-line technology was first considered. Year after year, the two systems – rivals in business but united in the cause of technology – had been invited by the International FA Board to present their findings. And year after year they were sent away to fine-tune their respective products.
The IFAB finally approved goal-line technology last July and FIFA recently invited tenders to compete for the World Cup and Confederations Cup contract. The winner is expected to chosen in April and it is understood that a fourth system could shortly join the race.
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