July 31 – Vanishing spray, introduced by FIFA for the World Cup in Brazil to mark out the defensive wall at freekicks just outside the penalty area, is to be used in the English Premier League this coming season.
Widely used for several years in domestic south American football before FIFA experimented with it in youth competitions, it was a huge success at the World Cup, preventing players from encroaching to gain an unfair advantage. The first Confederation to use vanishing spray in a major competition was CONCACAF at its 2013 Gold Cup in the US.
“It was clear from watching the World Cup that vanishing spray benefited referees, players, and all of those who watched the matches,” said Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore.
The spray, which evaporates about a minute after being administered from a canister, is also being used in next season’s Champions League despite UEFA president Michel Platini frequently insisting he is against any form of technology.
The spray, known as 9.15 Fair Play, was first used in a regional Brazilian competition and two years ago the law-making International Board approved its use worldwide after tests in 18,000 professional games.
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