Premier League hopes for goal technology by 2012

The Premier League is hopeful technology will be used to rule on  contentious goals from next year.

England’s topflight has invested in the Hawk-Eye ball-tracking system, which is used in tennis and cricket, and chief executive Richard Scudamore is satisfied that the technology already exists to be deployed in football.

   But a decision on allowing high-tech aids for referees won’t come until FIFA’s rule-making body, the International Football Association Board, meets to assess results from new trials in July 2012 — weeks before the English season starts.

   “The whole point of the game is about scoring goals,” Scudamore wrote in a document being sent to British legislators on Wednesday.  ”Players strain every sinew to either create or deny them, fans shout themselves hoarse exhorting their teams to score them, managers’ and players’ careers can be defined by them.

   “The technology is available, it is the fairness that is important and the Premier League would introduce it tomorrow if it could. Now FIFA is constructively engaged we are hopeful the 2012-13 season is a realistic aim.”  

 FIFA President Sepp Blatter hopes to have a system in place by the 2014 World Cup in Brazil after a mistake at the 2010 tournament  persuaded him to end his long-standing opposition to technology.

   In the last-16 stage, Frank Lampard’s shot did not count for England despite bouncing down off the cross bar beyond the goal line. Blatter apologized to English officials after watching Germany’s 4-1 win in South Africa.

   Nine goal-line technology systems were tested at FIFA before the  125th IFAB annual meeting in March, but their accuracy was deemed unacceptable. Hawk-Eye, which has since been bought by Sony, did not take part in the trials.

   UEFA President Michel Platini continues to champion the use of additional referees’ assistants. The five-official system will be deployed at the 2012 European Championship after being tested in continental club matches.