By Andrew Warshaw
November 21 – Vanishing spray, which has been used for several years in South America to stop defensive walls encroaching at free kicks, will be employed throughout next month’s Club World Cup in Morocco.
The system is a regular item on the agenda of the International FA Board, the game’s law-making body, and was trialled at this year’s Under-20 and Under-17 World Cups with “very good overall feedback from the participating referees,” according to FIFA.
Under the system, referees pace out the regulation 9.15 metres (10 yards) before spraying a line on the pitch to mark the correct position of the wall. The line disappears from the pitch within a minute.
“A large majority of the officials considered the spray as a useful and helpful tool,” said FIFA’s head of refereeing Massimo Busacca
“The spray has a clear preventive effect: The distance was always respected, so no yellow card for not respecting the distance had to be given throughout the two tournaments played so far.”
Licensed by Argentine company 9.15 Fair Play Limit, there is no suggestion yet that vanishing spray will be used at next year’s World Cup in Brazil though a decision could potentially be taken in March when the IFAB next convenes.
The spray has been used in CONCACAF competitions, including this year’s Gold Cup in the US. The Futline spray used was manufactured by Mexican company COMEX.
The Club World Cup was the tournament where goal-line technology was tested last year before being introduced by Fifa and Busacca added: “After the World Club Cup in Morocco further evaluations will be made. We will review the results and discuss if the spray will be used also in future FIFA competitions.”
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