INSIDER World Cup Diary - FIFA Dismisses Calls to Reconsider Goal-line Technology

(WFI) England's disallowed goal against Germany will not change FIFA's stance on goal-line technology any time soon.

Germany beat Fabio Capello's team 4-1 in Bloemfontein on Sunday to book their quarter-final berth. They will meet Argentina who overcame Mexico 3-1.

FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke made FIFA's position clear enough at a press conference at Soccer City in Johannesburg on Saturday, a little over 24 hours before Frank Lampard's shot crossed the line and bounced out but the goal was not given by referee Jorge Larrionda. "Video technology is not on the table today," he said.

The issue dominated this morning's press conference, but FIFA only put up Nicolas Maingot and LOC spokesman Jermaine Craig to answer a flurry of questions about the refereeing blunder that ruled out England's legitimate goal didn't and provoked shock among football fans and media worldwide.

Maingot said the daily media briefing was not the appropriate place to discuss the disallowed goal because he and Craig were not qualified to talk about refereeing decisions.

"When it comes to refereeing decisions we do not comment on them," he said, referring to FIFA's referees panel which deals with such issues.

One irate journalist said FIFA's refusal to accept video technology made a mockery of the world's richest sport.

Asked if FIFA was embarrassed that it had become a laughing stock globally because images of the poor refereeing decision had been broadcast around the world, Maingot said: "FIFA is not working on refereeing after a case."

He said FIFA had always worked on refereeing in conjunction with its confederations and associations and would continue to do so.

Maingot said FIFA's decision to reject goal-line technology came at a meeting of the International Football Association Board in Zurich in March. FIFA president Sepp Blatter has long been opposed to video technology, claiming a human element should be retained and that it would disrupt the flow of the game.

Maingot said today he was not aware of any plan to reconsider the use of video technology between now and the World Cup final on July 11.

It means the decision cannot be overturned until IFAB’s next meeting at Celtic Manor in Wales next March. IFAB rules on changes to the Laws of the Game.

Had yesterday's score remained at 2-1 between Germany and England, there would have been even greater outrage not only among England fans but also the Football Association who supported goal-line technology at the IFAB meeting along with the Scottish FA. The football associations of Wales and Northern Ireland both voted with FIFA against the use of goalline technology.

But there was no escaping the fact that England were outplayed and outclassed Germany. It was the worst ever defeat for England in a World Cup.

As it is, many UK football pundits and journalists yesterday and today urged FIFA to revisit goal-line technology, attacking FIFA president Sepp Blatter for his ongoing refusal to bring it into the game.

Shortly after the incident in the Germany v England match, BBC commentator Mark Lawrenson said: "Thank you, Sepp Blatter. I hope he’s here and squirming in his seat."

Blatter, who was at the game in Bloemfontein, has so far kept his counsel.

He was noticeably quiet on his Twitter page following the controversial incident. Building up the match on Sunday, he tweeted: "Leaving for Bloemfontein for the next chapter in a match which has created World Cup history - 66, 70, 90 and 2010"

But Blatter hasn't tweeted anything for 21 hours.

However, there is clearly plenty of interest in what he has to say about the issue - the number of followers to his Twitter page has shot up from about 34,500 to 39,000 in just 24 hours.

IFAB's decision in March to rule out video technology to assist referees in making game-changing decisions sparked angry reactions from former FA chief executive Brian Barwick among others.

Barwick was incredulous, saying "...hours of research put in, millions of Euros spent and exacting criteria met - and yet still the guardians of the game will not rubber-stamp the use of something that deals exclusively in fact."

But the FA was keeping quiet on the issue on Monday, no doubt because it does not want to upset FIFA while the 2018 World Cup bid race remains in full swing. England is vying to stage the 2018 tournament with Holland-Belgium, Russia and Spain-Portugal.

Last November, Paul Hawkins, the inventor of the Hawk-Eye system, which has been a huge success in cricket and tennis, told World Football Insider that the scientific debate has conclusively moved on as to whether goal-line camera systems work. He believes that the main arguments that its opponents have put against goal-line technology – whether it works; cost; universality – have been met.

Extra refs for Brazil 2014
While refusing to discuss video technology at Saturday's press conference, Valcke admitted that assistant referees may be used for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

A goal by Carlos Tevez, who was clearly offside, in Argentina's win over Mexico on Sunday put refereeing decisions back in the spotlight after England's disallowed goal earlier in the day.

Asked about the high number of yellow cards produced by referees for innocuous challenges at the World Cup, Valcke said: "Additional assistants could happen in 2014 to make sure these kind of things are not happening in refereeing.

"One thing we are discussing is two additional assistants to support referees to have more eyes helping him to make decisions."

The use of two extra match officials was trialled in the UEFA Europa League last season and appeared to work well in the more than 140 matches that took place.

UEFA is extending the experiment to next season’s Champions League and qualifying games for Euro 2012, which begin later this year.

Millions attend Fan Fests
In the first two weeks of the World Cup, more than three million fans attended the 16 official FIFA Fan Fest venues.

More than 1.5 million fans visited the ten South African venues and a similar number attended the fan parks in Rome, Paris, Berlin, Sydney, Mexico City and Rio de Janeiro.

Big screens, football-related activities and promotions are attracting fans to each of the venues, which are free of charge and open all day.

Of the South African Fan Fests, Durban is the most popular, so far attracting 375,571 people. It has also recorded the highest day attendance at a single site - 65,714 fans on June 16.

In terms of total attendance at the international FIFA Fan Fest sites, Berlin has drawn the most fans to date (385,255) with Rio attracting 262,747 people and Paris 258,500.

By INSIDER editor Mark Bisson (mark@worldfootballinsider.com)

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