SUPERSPORT
Referees at next year’s World Cup will use goalline technology for the first time to settle some of the disputes that have marred past tournaments.
Germany company GoalControl will supply the camera-based technology, Fifa said, following a successful trial during the Confederations Cup in Brazil earlier this year.
GoalControl uses 14 cameras around the pitch to monitor whether the ball has crossed the line, sending a signal to the referee’s watch within a second to confirm that a goal has been scored.
Fifa noted there were no close calls on goalline incidents during the Confederations Cup but added that the technology had functioned well.
Fifa decided to adopt technology after England were denied a goal when Frank Lampard’s shot hit the bar and bounced over the line during a 4-1 defeat by Germany in the 2010 World Cup.
For the Germans, it was a fitting revenge for the most famous disputed goal of all time – Geoff Hurst’s shot against the bar that formed part of his hat-trick in England’s 1966 World Cup final win at Wembley.
The English Premier League is using goalline technology supplied by British-based company Hawk-Eye from this season.