Technology in Soccer

Many people are afraid that if we bring technology into "the beautiful game" then it will be ruined. Soccer is one of the only sports with no form of review after goals. However after some contraversial calls in the 2010 world cup in South Africa, FIFA is considering goal line technology. They will not review other calls the referee makes, only goals!

There are two slightly different concepts that FIFA are looking into. One of them is putting cameras in the two goal posts and the crossbar and the other is putting a chip inside the ball and sensors under the grass to see if the FULL ball crossed over the white line. There are eight companies creating there own product to present to FIFA, the company that wins the competion and has their idea implimented in games will get 100 million Euros. Hawkeye, the company developing the cameras is already being used in most tennis matches.

I think its a good thing that technology will be in the game because it eliminates all of the bad calls and what if's. Many people believe that it will slow down the game to have the referee go off the field to look at the camera but this is untrue. If this system is implimented then there will be a seperate fifth offical whose job it is to watch th monator and relay the message to the main offical on the field with a wireless microphone. The problem with the chip inside the ball is that it will break inside the ball and not relay the correct information to the ref.