FIFA to test goal-line technology
Saturday, 26 February 2005 12:57Football's rule-makers today gave the go-ahead for FIFA to experiment with goal-line technology.
It is expected the micro-chip technology will be used for the first time at FIFA's Under-20 World Championships in Peru in September.
The decision follows a presentation by adidas to the International FA Board in Cardiff today, after the sports goods manufacturers tested a ball containing a micro-chip in a match between Nuremberg and Nuremberg reserves in Germany on Tuesday.
The new ball has a microchip inside it so when it crosses the goal-line the referee is alerted directly by a bleeper-type system rather than any video replays being used.
The fact that there is no delay to the game has impressed the IFAB, which is made up of four FIFA representatives plus a member of each of the four home associations.
The English FA had offered to experiment with the ball as well but both the Premier League and Football League use balls made by rival manufacturers.
Adidas are developing the new ball with two other German-based companies Cairos Technologies and hi-tech communications firm Fraunhofer but believe that such rigorous experimentation is needed that it is unlikely to be ready for next year's World Cup final in Germany.
