LONDON, April 27 (Reuters) – An English minor league cup
final between Eastleigh FC and AFC Totton will come under more
scrutiny than would normally be the case this month after being
chosen as the first live match to test the Hawk-Eye goalline
technology system.
The International Football Association Board (IFAB) is
trialing two systems – Hawk-Eye and GoalRef – to help match
officials decide whether or not a ball has crossed the line
after a raft of controversies in recent years.
Both could be approved when the IFAB meets on July 2.
As well as the live games, EMPA (Swiss Federal Laboratories
for Materials Science and Technology) will use several other
testing procedures during May and June.
They include simulated scenarios at training sessions and
laboratory tests to simulate how the technology works in rain
and fog or whether mobile phones can effect its accuracy.
Should the Hampshire Cup final, being played at
Southampton’s St Mary’s Stadium, have a controversial goalline
incident, however, match officials will have to rely on their
eyes.
“Only the EMPA observer in the stadium will have access to
the goalline technology (GLT) system readings, and the system
will NOT be utilised by the match officials,” a FIFA statement
said.
The Hawk-Eye system, already used in tennis and cricket,
will be used at another match still to be decided.
GoalRef will be tested in two separate matches, either two
Danish Superligaen games, or one league fixture and a
forthcoming international friendly.
Hawk-Eye uses tracking technology while GoalRef relies on
magnetic fields.
(Reporting by Martyn Herman, editing by Mark Meadows)
