Premier League to use newly-approved goal-line technology

PanARMENIAN.Net - Goal-line technology will be used in the English Premier League "as soon as is practically possible" after it was approved by the body that sets the Laws of the Game, the league has said, according to RIA Novosti.

The controversial technology, which will see referees overruled by machines for the first time, will also be used at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

The move follows cases of referees allowing so-called "ghost goals" or disallowing seemingly legitimate strikes, as when England's Frank Lampard saw his goal against Germany ruled out at the 2010 World Cup, or when a similar fate befell Ukraine's Marko Devic against England at Euro 2012.

On Thursday the International Football Association Board unanimously approved the use of two goal-line technology systems and FIFA said the technology would be showcased at the Club World Cup in December.

The Danish-German GoalRef system uses magnetic fields to determine whether the ball has crossed the line, while Hawk-Eye uses cameras and is widely used in tennis, cricket and volleyball. Both systems passed FIFA testing in March.

"The Premier League has been a long-term advocate of goal line technology," the league said in a website statement.

"We will engage in discussions with both Hawk-Eye and GoalRef in the near future with a view to introducing goal-line technology as soon as is practically possible."

FIFA president Sepp Blatter said he would push for its inclusion at the World Cup in Brazil.

"It is my plan to have it used at Brazil 2014, yes. We will use the system also for the Confederations Cup and this year’s FIFA Club World Cup," he said on the FIFA website.

The board also approved continuing to use extra assistant referees on the goal line, a scheme championed by Michel Platini.

The additional assistants, introduced in 2009, came in for criticism at Euro 2012 after one failed to spot that Devic's strike had crossed the line.