FIFA ends all goal-line technology experiments

GLENEAGLES (Reuters) - Goal-line technology to determine whether a goal has been scored will not be used in soccer for the foreseeable future, the game's law-makers ruled on Saturday.

FIFA, world soccer's governing body, will not sanction any further experiments into technological aids, and according to Brian Barwick, the chief executive of the English FA who supported the experiments, "the idea is now dead in the water".

Instead, the International Football Association Board (IFAB), the game's ultimate law-making body, gave its approval for experiments to start this year with an additional assistant referee placed behind each goal to help the referee rule on contentious decisions.

Barwick said at a news conference after the IFAB's annual meeting: "We are very disappointed. We were in favor of goal-line technology. But it is dead in the water. There will be no more experiments and it will not be back on the agenda next year -- or in the foreseeable future."

IFAB, formed in 1886, determines the laws of the game and comprises delegates from the four British associations and four from FIFA. Proposals need a three-quarter-majority vote to be approved.

The proposal for goal-line technology was defeated by a 5-3 vote with the four FIFA votes and one from Wales outweighing England, Scotland and Northern Ireland who were in favor.

Jerome Valcke, FIFA's general secretary, said experiments using the additional linesmen would take place in either a UEFA or FIFA tournament later this year.

SMART BALL

The IFAB had been considering two technological systems: a "smart" ball with a microchip developed by Adidas and the German company Cairos, and a camera-based system developed by the Hawkeye company whose system is used in tennis and cricket.

After making a presentation to the Board on Saturday and then being told of their decision, Hawkeye's managing director Paul Hawkins said: "I am absolutely stunned by their decision.

"It is completely out of the blue. A year ago they met and gave us four criteria to meet and we have met all of them, yet they have kicked it out now.

"A lot of money has been invested, a lot of time and effort and I am staggered."

FIFA president Sepp Blatter has long been against using technology.

Welsh FA general secretary David Collins said: "We believe soccer is a game played by human beings, it's a game with a human face and there was a feeling it would hinder the flow of the game."

In other decisions, the IFAB agreed to standardize the dimensions of a pitch used for full international men's matches to 105 x 68 meters.

(Editing by Sonia Oxley and Pritha Sarkar)