10 June 2014 :: This World Cup will make history for an additional reason. It’s the first time that FIFA — the world’s soccer, or football, governing body — has permitted the use of technology to automatically detect when a ball crosses the goal line. In a tournament where every goal can mean the advancement of a team, and its nation, the fact that a ball actually crossed the goal line takes on momentous importance.
In association football, goal-line technology (sometimes referred to as a Goal Decision System ) is a method used to determine when the ball has completely crossed the goal line with the assistance of electronic devices and at the same time assisting the referee in awarding a goal or not. The objective of goal-line technology (GLT) is not to replace the role of the officials, but rather to support them in their decision-making. The GLT must provide a clear indication as to whether the ball has fully crossed the line, and this information will serve to assist the referee in taking his final decision. In the wake of controversial calls made in the Premier League, 2010 World Cup and the Euro 2012, FIFA (previously against the technology) is testing potential candidates for goal-line technology. Nine systems were initially tested, but only two remain.
