The Malaysian Insider :: Sports
The Malaysian Insider :: Sports |
| Goal-line technology passes another hurdle Posted: 23 Oct 2012 08:55 AM PDT ZURICH, Oct 23 – Goal-line technology providers GoalRef and Hawk-Eye have been authorised to install their systems worldwide after signing licence agreements with FIFA, soccer's world governing body said today. As part of the licensing agreement, the two companies have also had to take out liability insurance in case their equipment makes a wrong decision or injures a player. "This policy should provide sufficient insurance coverage for claims being raised by third parties due to the licensee's activities or omissions as well as claims being raised due to potentially faulty (manufactured) products," said FIFA. "A claim is deemed as a demand for compensation of bodily injury, property damage and pure financial loss. The policy shall be concluded with a well-respected and reputable national or international insurance company." The announcement came a year after FIFA began an exhaustive search for systems which could reliably detect whether or not a ball had crossed a goal-line. "Between October 2011 and June 2012, both companies passed a series of extensive laboratory and field tests, tests in simulated match situations, as well as tests in live matches," FIFA's statement said. "This milestone in the goal-line technology process, which began in 2011, means that the two companies now have official authorisation to install their respective goal-line technology systems worldwide." Football's rule-making body, the International Football Association Board (IFAB), approved the use of the technology in July following a series of incidents in which referees failed to see that the ball had crossed the goal-line. The most infamous "phantom goals" were Frank Lampard's shot for England in the World Cup second round match against Germany in 2010 and Sulley Muntari's effort for AC Milan in a top-of-the-table Serie A clash against Juventus last season. The latter incident had a decisive impact on the outcome of the championship as Milan, winning the match 1-0 at the time, were eventually pegged back to 1-1 after conceding a late equaliser. Juventus went on to win the title. FIFA said both systems still had to pass tests in stadiums where they had been installed before they could be used for official matches. "Once a system has been installed in a stadium, the system undergoes a final inspection to check its functionality," it said. "This is carried out by an independent test institute and the results of this so-called 'final installation test' must be successful. "Only a positive final installation test qualifies a system to be used in official matches." Goal-line technology is due to make its debut at the Club World Cup in Japan in December. FIFA plans to use the GoalRef system in one of the two stadiums used for the competition and Hawk-Eye in the other. – Reuters |
| Donovan unsure over World Cup and future Posted: 23 Oct 2012 08:51 AM PDT LOS ANGELES, Oct 23 – Landon Donovan – the all-time top goalscorer for the United States – says he is unsure whether he will feature in the 2014 World Cup finals for his country, rating his chances at 50/50. Donovan, 30, has suffered from a number of injuries in the past year and has played in two of the US's six World Cup qualifiers so far. He has also been open about struggling for motivation. In an interview with ESPN's soccer website ESPNFC.com, the L.A. Galaxy forward was asked whether he expected to be playing in Brazil at the next World Cup finals. "I don't have the answer to that. There are a lot of moving pieces: Will I be playing, period? Will I be part of the team? Will I be good enough to be wanted?" he said. "If I had to guess I would say it is 50-50. I will have more clarity after I take a break," he said. The Major League Soccer season ends on Dec. 1 and there is a break of around three months before action resumes. Donovan, who was scored 49 goals in a 144 games for the national team, was surprisingly relaxed about the possibility of missing out on what would be his fourth World Cup finals. "Obviously I would enjoy playing in another World Cup but it won't kill me if I don't," he said. "I never dreamed I would play in one World Cup, never mind three, or score five goals in the tournament, become a leader in the national team, win MLS Cups and play in the Olympics. "We tend to get greedy and always want more but the truth is to play even once for your national team is an amazing achievement," he added. Donovan has a year left on his contract with Galaxy but told ESPN he would consider his future during the off-season. "Right now, I need time to think and that is impossible to achieve while I am playing," he said. "I need to determine if I want to play, and if the answer is yes, I need to work out where and for how long." – Reuters |
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