Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Technology in soccer


The first day without soccer in two weeks -- I can go back to reading and cycling now.

In the last four games of the round of 16, one game was decided by penalty kicks. The other three included goals that should not have been given for the team that ultimately won. It is hard to think of an unfairer game than soccer.

FIFA is now apparently responding by talking about which technologies could be used in the next World Cup. But keep in mind that if FIFA has constantly discussed the use of technologies -- and rejected it. "Technology will kill football. The human system is better," explained former FIFA head and current UEFA head Michel Platini recently. In an article at Germany's Tagesspiegel, current FIFA Secretary-General Jerome Valcke is quoted as saying, "The special thing [about soccer] is people, and people make mistakes."

Der Tagespiegel does not even disagree:

Soccer is an unpredictable, man-made drama, and errors are part of the script... One change would lead to another and break the game up into parts. The rhythm would be lost if there were constant interruptions to review situations. Goals are not the only important thing, but also red cards, penalty kicks, and offside calls.


Couldn't have said it better myself.

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