FIFA said Friday that the 10 systems, which it did not
identify, will be tested privately at its headquarters next week by researchers
from a Zurich-based technology institute.
“A report will be presented to the IFAB (International
Football Association Board) following an independently monitored testing phase
of 10 companies and their respective technology systems,” FIFA said in a
statement.
The subject will top the agenda when IFAB — comprising FIFA
and the four British federations — meets March 5 in Wales for its annual review
of football's laws.
IFAB also will consider letting UEFA use the five-referee
match official system at the 2012 European Championship.
Other proposed rules changes relate to stray objects on the
field, players wearing snoods and tights, plus referees using vanishing spray
to mark where defensive walls stand.
Goal-line technology has long been resisted by FIFA
President Sepp Blatter, who has insisted that human error is part of the game.
However, Blatter bowed to pressure and promised to reopen
the debate at the 2010 World Cup after England was denied a goal against
Germany when Frank Lampard's shot clearly crossed the line. The goal would have
leveled the round-of-16 match at 2-2 before halftime, but England eventually
lost 4-1.
IFAB said when approving the tests last October that “indication
of whether a goal has been scored must be immediate and automatically confirmed
within one second.” Only match officials would receive the information.
The panel will now evaluate how accurate and efficient the
systems are before taking a “decision of principle and potential next step.”
Even if at least one system meets all FIFA's demands, further discussions are
likely about commercial use and which competitions will adopt the technology
before goal-line technology is finally approved.
Candidates are expected to include the camera-based Hawk-Eye
system used in tennis and cricket, and the Cairos team which has a microchipped
ball. Both systems were rejected by IFAB in 2008 and again last March.
FIFA also has proposed tightening rules on what referees
should do when stray objects interfere with play.
An amendment regarding an “extra ball, other object or
animal” could be added to Law 5, requiring referees to stop the match and
restart with a dropped ball.
Currently, a section of Law 2 concerning the match ball only
refers to “an extra ball” affecting play.
That rule caused confusion when Sunderland scored its
notorious “beach ball” goal to beat Liverpool in a Premier League match in
October 2009. A shot by Darren Bent deflected into the goal off a red beach
ball which was thrown onto the field by a Liverpool fan.
IFAB also will debate whether the current players' fashion
for wearing neck-warming snoods is a safety risk, and consider a Wales
federation proposal that tights must be worn in the same color as team shorts.
The existing rule applies only to undershorts.
IFAB
is a 125-year-old body comprising officials from England, Northern Ireland,
Scotland and Wales, plus FIFA representing the other 204 football nations plus
referees, coaches and players worldwide. Each British member has one vote, FIFA
has four and a proposed new rule needs six votes to be passed.
