FIFA president Sepp Blatter has announced that referees will use the recently-trialled vanishing spray to prevent the encroachment of defensive walls at next summer's World Cup in Brazil, reports SkySports. The spray, developed in Brazil and Argentina, is currently being used at the Club World Cup in Morocco and was used at the FIFA Under-20 and Under-17 World Cups earlier this year.
"I think it's a very good solution, some say it takes too much time and I was also quite sceptical at the beginning but... all the referees who have used the system were pleased with it," Blatter said.
After the award of a free kick near the penalty area, the referee paces the regulatory 9.15 metres before spraying a line on the pitch to mark the correct position of the wall. The line then vanishes from the pitch within a minute.
"The representative of Bayern Munich said that here they can take free kicks with the wall nine metres away, while at home it's only five," Blatter said. "It's a novelty....we will start using it in the World Cup in Brazil last year."
