As featured on NewsNow: Football news

Blatter admits "conservative" approach to new technology

Sepp Blatter has defended FIFA's "conservative" approach to the use of technology in football. FIFA have come under fire for their resistance to introducing technological aids for referees - in particular goal-line technology - but Blatter is adamant no solution presented to him so far has been the right one.

The sport's world governing body are taking a keen interest in UEFA's continuing experiment with four assistant referees in the Europa League but the FIFA president said he was "not yet convinced" it had worked, and added: "There is only one referee, the basis of our game is one referee. Whether you play in youth competition, amateur competition or at the highest level, there is just one referee."

He added: "I accept that you may say we are a little conservative but sometimes it's good to be conservative rather than changing laws every year.

"I have never said TV will be the death of referees because it's not true. Refereeing was there before we had television. It is clear now that with the presence of cameras they can identify errors of referees, very evident errors.

"Other errors in appreciation of distances, television cameras cannot do it because they are from different angles and that's why in football the goal-line technology, and the system of the HawkEye, is not accurate."

Video of the day:

About the author

×

Subscribe and go ad-free

For only $10 a year

  1. Go Ad-Free
  2. Faster site experience
  3. Support great writing
  4. Subscribe now
Launch Offer: 2 months free
×

Subscribe and go ad-free

For only $10 a year

Subscribe now
Launch Offer: 2 months free