December 19 – The AFC have revealed that Semi-Automated Offside Technology (SAOT) will be used at the AFC Asian Cup in Qatar in January 2024, marking the first use of this technology at an AFC tournament.
The latest advancement in officiating technology, which debuted at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar just over a year ago, uses artificial intelligence to conduct precise positional assessments of players on the pitch.
It is designed to complement VAR, which is also making its full debut at the upcoming tournament after its initial application from the quarter finals of the 2019 competition.
SAOT will be implemented at all 51 matches in the tournament, which begins January 12 and concludes February 10.
AFC President Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa said: “Our Asian match officials are established as among the best in the world and the landmark debut of the Semi-Automated Offside Technology will only serve to drive them to set higher standards.
“The AFC is determined to continue to be leaders in world refereeing and by embracing the latest technological innovations, along with the full implementation of the Video Assistant Referee system at Asia’s crown jewel, it reinforces the AFC’s Vision of providing the ultimate stage for our players, teams and record cast of match officials to shine.”
The AFC said that SAOT will utilise 12 specialised cameras, which are strategically placed to track the exact position of the ball and players on the field of play. In particular, the position of the limbs, as well as all the other body parts that are relevant for offside decisions, can be established using the new technology in an effort to iron out VAR slowness and inefficiency.
Upon detecting a potential offside, an alert is dispatched to the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) for an immediate check, analysing the player’s position against automatically drawn offside lines. The final verdict rests with the VAR before the on-field referee is notified, ensuring that the referee receives validation for each decision.
Upon conclusion of the decision-making process, the same data used to determine the player’s position is transformed into a 3D animation. This visual representation will be showcased on the screens at the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 stadiums and provided to TV broadcasters in an effort to keep fans in the loop with decision-making: a wide criticism during the infancy of VAR.
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at moc.l1740771502labto1740771502ofdlr1740771502owedi1740771502sni@g1740771502niwe.1740771502yrrah1740771502
