Goal-line Technology Debuts at Club World Cup
In what could be called as a path-breaking initiative, a long-awaited at that, FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke announced in Tokyo that two different GLT systems, Hawk-Eye and GoalRef, are to be used in the eight-game competition.
This could be termed as Change of the Year 2012 - FIFA introducing goal-line technology (GLT) for the first time at the Club World Cup in Japan from December 6. In what could be called as a path-breaking initiative, a long-awaited at that, FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke announced in Tokyo that two different GLT systems, Hawk-Eye and GoalRef, are to be used in the eight-game competition from today, when continental kings of club football, including Chelsea and Brazil's Corinthians, will battle for world supremacy.
In July this year, International Football Association Board officially approved the use of GLT. The two systems approved in principle were 每 GoalRef and Hawk-Eye. GoalRef works by detecting the passage of the ball using magnetic induction. Hawk-Eye is a complex computer system used to visually track the trajectory of the ball and display a record of its most statistically likely path as a moving image.
Valcke said referees at these competitions will test the system 90 minutes before each game to see if it is working to their satisfaction. And, they will have the final word too 每 they can reject the use of goal-line technology or even overrule it in the Club World Cup.
The question of the inclusion of GLT was first raised in 2000 when during the Africa Cup of Nations final penalty shoot-out, Victor Ikpeba's penalty was considered not to have crossed the line by the referee. Television replays shown it had. Nigeria's opponents Cameroon went on to win the shootout and the Africa Cup of Nations.
Recently, in the 2012 FA cup final between Liverpool and Chelsea, Liverpool's striker Andy Carroll headed the ball which replays indicated to have crossed the line. No goal was awarded, and Chelsea went on to win the game 2每1.
It's a big day for football because it's the first time that the technology will be used officially in a game. It has successfully being used in tennis and cricket. It is costing FIFA $1 million to run the two systems at the club championship 每 looking at the history of controversial decisions in football it is definitely a welcome step.
Vandita is a sports freak, a 24X7 news maniac-cum-journo, and a writer with a satirical style. A political science graduate, a certified MBA, a journalist by profession, and a strategist by training, her favourite time pass is Breaking News! A prolific editor, she is jack of all trades and master of lots! Sky is not the limit for her, it is the beginning from where she wants to reach the stars and throw some on the earth to add to her life. Three words that describe her 每 passionate, funny & multitasker.
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