More technology comes the cry! Many fans will remember when England’s Frank Lampard was denied a goal at the 2010 World Cup, but after a successful 2014 tournament, more technology is expected.
Goal-line technology is likely to be used during Euro 2016 as well as in next season’s Champions League, with UEFA saying a final decision will be taken at the end of January 2016.
“It looks pretty positive,” said UEFA general secretary Gianni Infantino. “If it is for the Euro this season, it will be for club competitions as from next season. Club competitions means Champions League and Europa League,” added Infantino.
European football’s governing body discussed the technology at a meeting Friday of its Executive Committee. Notably absent in Paris was Michel Platini, the banned UEFA president who has been a vocal opponent of soccer technology in the past. Meeting without him, UEFA’s Exco ruled that it will make a final decision on goal-line technology in January.
Logistical issues ahead
Currently, the technology is used in the English Premier League, Italy’s Serie A, the German Bundesliga and Ligue 1 in France. However, FIFA brought it in for last year’s World Cup in Brazil after successful trials at the Club World Cup and the Confederations Cup.
UEFA would still have to decide which system to use and many more stadiums would need equipping with their technology, a much bigger problem at club level than at an international tournament.
“That means 80 venues across Europe,” said Infantino in reference to implementing the technology at club level. “Today it exists in four countries so maybe only 20 teams out of those 80 would have it in place, and so there is a whole series of logistical and operational challenges that we have to analyse,” added the 45-year-old.
jh/ (AP, AFP)
