By Andrew Warshaw
September 29 – Despite being introduced at the World Cup to mark out freekicks and subsequently employed by UEFA, vanishing spray, considered one of the game’s most successful innovations, is facing its first major crisis after being deemed illegal under European law.
Trade watchdog officials in Germany say the spray is a health hazard just weeks before its planned implementation in the top two divisions of German football.
The country’s technical inspection agency, Technischer Überwachungs-Verein (TueV) said in a statement that the spray had been found to contain parabens that are suspected of being “hormonally active”.
TueV’s spokesman Ralf Diekmann was quoted as saying: “In its present form, the product is not usable in Germany and the European Union.” As a result, referees who used the spray would, theoretically, risk legal action.
The spray, already widely used in Latin America and which disappears within a minute, was considered a great success with both match officials and fans at the World Cup.
It was introduced immediately afterwards by UEFA for its club competitions and Euro 2016 qualifiers and by a number of domestic championships including the English Premier League. The Bundesliga had set mid-October date for its introduction pending the outcome of safety tests but that has now been plunged into doubt by the latest objections.
The foam-based material was subjected to a nine-day testing regime in Germany and, according to the latest reports, failed health and safety tests. Officials are now seeking an alternative.
The developer of the ‘9.15 Fair Play’ spray, as it is known, has himself threatened to sue if the German Football Association (DFB) decides to use another version of it. “If the DFB uses the spray from another provider, we will complain about it,” Argentine entrepreneur Pablo Silva told Germany’s Bild newspaper.
“The spray is no risk to anyone’s health. More than 300,000 games were conducted with the spray. We obey all laws. There is, in my view, no reason not to use the spray in Germany.”
But TueV said the packaging for the spray neglected to mention that the substance was highly flammable and that none of the packaging text was in German.
Lutz Michael Fröhlich, referees chief at the DFB, which said it had not been aware of the research study, was quoted as saying: “We are sure we are going to find a solution that will not be faulty.”
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1734797575labto1734797575ofdlr1734797575owedi1734797575sni@w1734797575ahsra1734797575w.wer1734797575dna1734797575